James Corden defended by fellow Passengers during Tense exchange with airline staff

James Corden defended passengers during a tense exchange with Airways staff after a turbulent flight to the UK.


Pop Culture & Art June 04, 2024
James Corden, British comedian and TV host, now based in California, says every race, creed and sexuality would always be welcome at the theatre. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

James Corden, the former host of "The Late Late Show," was involved in a tense exchange with British Airways staff after a turbulent flight from Faro, Portugal, to the UK. The incident, which took place on Sunday, saw Corden defending fellow passengers, a stark contrast to his previous public controversies.

According to The Daily Mail, Corden's flight had to make an emergency landing in Lisbon due to a mechanical issue. Passengers, including a woman named Vanessa, reported that Corden was advocating for everyone’s needs when they were mistakenly directed to the wrong queue after disembarking the plane. Vanessa stated, "So then BA finally let us off the plane. We’re in the terminal and there was not a member of BA staff to be found. And they put us in immigration queues. And there was just no one there telling us what was going on."

Corden's actions included questioning the airline staff about the passengers' treatment. Vanessa observed, "The people he’s speaking to in that picture are the flight staff on our plane. I watched him fist bump the pilot as he got off the plane, he said, ‘Thank you very much.’"

Despite the tense situation, Vanessa noted that Corden remained composed and supportive. "James was a club flier and he stood there, and was like ‘What about all these people who’ve got all these kids with them?’ like saying that’s not acceptable. It’s not right," she said. She added that Corden "stood in the same queue as everybody else, doing the same things as everybody else did."

During the three-hour wait on the Lisbon tarmac, Vanessa recounted that Corden entertained the passengers. "He walked up and down the aisles talking to people, and let everybody take a selfie with him," she said. Vanessa also shared a light-hearted moment, saying, “I made a joke and went, ‘Oh if we’re all going to die. You could tell us how does the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special end?’ and he went ‘Do you really want to know?’ and I went ‘Yeah.’ He went, ‘I can’t tell you.’”

This incident is a departure from Corden's previous publicized disputes. He was previously banned from the New York City restaurant Balthazar by owner Keith McNally for reportedly being rude to the staff. Additionally, Spice Girl Mel B labeled Corden "the biggest d-head I've ever met." However, in this instance, fellow passengers have come to Corden’s defense, highlighting his positive behavior during a challenging flight experience.

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