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Liverpool fan from Anglesey 'devastated' by cancelled flight to Champions League final

By NationCymru
Stade de France picture by Darthvadrouw (CC BY-SA 4.0).

A Liverpool fan from Anglesey was “devastated” when his flight to France for the Champions League final was cancelled, leaving him in “limbo” at an airport for six hours.

Keenan Downey and his father Leslie arrived at Liverpool John Lennon Airport at 1.30am on Saturday, hoping to catch a 4am flight to Paris.

However, they were among scores of fans who faced lengthy delays after a flight cancellation.

Mr Downey, 25, who travelled from Llanfechell said the flight was rescheduled to depart at 5.45am but was cancelled.

He was then told there was no flights left at 3.30am, leaving him “stood around helpless”, before he finally boarded a rescheduled flight at 9.40am.

The pair booked the flights through World Choice Sports, which sells packages to sporting events, for about £1,300.

Prior to boarding the plane, he said: “I’m not even confident that we will get out there at the moment.

“I have got the boarding pass in my hand but until we are sat in that seat and we are taking off I won’t be confident that we’ll get there. It is pretty crazy.”

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'Worry'

Keenan Downey added: “It is my first-ever final.

“My old man, he is fortunate, this will be his third. But this is my first and I am just devastated.

“I’m not certain we will be going.

“The biggest worry is getting home of course, although if we win I won’t be worrying about that.”

Calls to World Choice Sports are greeted by a recorded statement saying: “If your flight has been cancelled, please accept our apologies as it was due to matters out of our control.

“Please rest assured we will be refunding you in full in the next few days. Once again, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused.”

The company has been approached for comment.

Liverpool will win their seventh Champions League trophy if Jurgen Klopp’s side beat Real Madrid at the Stade de France stadium in Paris.

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3 comments

Glen

Good enough for him. Why is he not supporting a Welsh club?

Reply
Cynan

I hope he also isn't flying using British airways. Dragon air only please. And he's flying from Liverpool airport? He should drive the extra 6 hours and fly from Cardiff if he were really Welsh

Reply
Y Cymro

Bit of a farce really. I can understand the anguish of fans who had tickets but were stopped from entering the ground due to amount of fans without tickets hoping to buy a ticket from touts. French police were a bit heavy handed, but that was due to panicking fans who paid thousands reaction to the match starting, some drunk idiots on both sides causing problems throwing bottles etc.... But puzzled also why Ancelotti kept Gareth Bale on the bench for the entirety of the match without at least bringing him on at least for the last quarter of the match seeing it was his Real Madrid swansong? Other replacements came on that might have changed the balance of the match, good or bad, but why not Bale, a tried & tested winner? And yes, he got a winners medal and a record 5 titles to his name, but I'm sure Bale would have preferred to have earnt the medal rather than be given it just for turning up. Also I agree with ones who question fans from Wales who support English football sides over Welsh teams. I can understand if those fans living in Wales are English themselves but if Welsh is reprehensible? I suppose it mirrors politically Wales as a country where you have ones who often refer to themselves as British rather then Welsh, this usually done to appropriate aspects of English culture & sporting success due to their own lack of cultural awareness, self-esteem, loyalty to ones community& country, in this case a yearning for football success, be it club or international. And when it's pointed out, are often are indifferent or abusive, and state how they've supported English sides for years their reason they don't Welsh clubs. But that doesn't make a wrong right though. And If Welsh people who prefer putting millions into the coffers of Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and other English Premiership sides to our detriment put as much time, effort & money into supporting Welsh club sides who play in our Cymru Premiership they'd be able to compete in Europe, our premiership would flourish, investment and interest would pour in, clubs would attract players and we'd have sides that would nurture & produce the next Wales stars, but they choose not to. I might get negativity for this, but I don't care. I speak the truth and sometimes the truth hurts.

Reply

Leave a reply

Replying to Glen Cancel

Good enough for him. Why is he not supporting a Welsh club?

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