‘Game of Thrones’ Star Maisie Williams Rips British Airways: ‘Sort Your S*** Out!”
Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams, better known as the feisty, swordplay-happy tomboy Arya Stark on the hit HBO fantasy series, took a stab at her home country’s flagship airline, British Airways, over the weekend, after the actress was denied admittance to the airline’s business class lounge.
The reason? The Game of Thrones cast member has not yet turned 18. In fact, she will remain 17 until April 15 of next year. British Airways keeps a strict policy of admitting only passengers 18 and over to the business class lounge, unless accompanied by an adult.
As her job often demands — as with most celebrities regardless of age — Maisie Williams is required to travel frequently, and there’s not always a grown-up around to make the trip with her.
Williams let British Airways know in no uncertain terms how she felt about the snub.
Denied from the business lounge once again for being under 18 and without an adult.. @British_Airways sort your shit out.
— Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) July 20, 2014
The teenage Game of Thrones star insisted that she was not demanding special treatment simply due to her celebrity status. But the airline allows teens to fly around the world on their own, she said. Why not allow them in the business class lounge? British Airways, in emblematic British fashion, responded to the Bristol, England, native’s angry tweet with polite, but firm, Twitter response of its own.
@Maisie_Williams Hi Maisie. We’re sorry if you were disappointed, lounge guests must be 18 or older. We look forward to welcoming you soon. — British Airways (@British_Airways) July 20, 2014
However, displaying the same toughness and never-say-die attitude displayed by Arya Stark on Game of Thrones, Maisie would not just let the matter drop.
Yes.. @British_Airways fully understand that, my question is why? Why can we travel alone but not use the lounge? It makes no sense.
— Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) July 20, 2014
Just saying if 16-18 yr olds are grown up enough to travel 5,400 miles around the world..
— Maisie Williams (@Maisie_Williams) July 20, 2014
British Airways finally explained that its business class lounge offers a self-serve alcohol bar, and that no one supervises whether or not a minor might be indulging — which could get British Airways in trouble much worse than a PR hit from a celebrity, even one on the blood-spattered Game of Thrones.
By the time Season Five of Game of Thrones hits HBO subscribers next Spring, Maisie Williams will indeed be 18 years old and the business class lounge will be hers for the asking.
And what about Season Five? Williams — whose character was seen sailing off to an undetermined location at the close of Season Four, having seen her reluctant guardian The Hound killed off — says she knows no more than any fan
“There was a rumor we would get the scripts last week but we didn’t. We usually get them for two or three episodes at a time, so I always flick through them straight away,” said the Game of Thrones star, quoted in The Daily Mail. “We’ve done well so far as nothing has ever been massively leaked.”
