Kumar Sangakkara and his family face ‘first bad experience in Dublin’; Ryanair accused of ‘mishandling of procedure’

Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara and his family were travelling in Dublin, where they faced discriminatory behaviour from the staff of Irish airlines Ryanair. 

Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara had a harrowing experience at Dublin airport on Wednesday, accusing the staff of Irish airline Ryanair of discriminatory behaviour. The incident came to light after Sangakkara took to social media, sharing his ordeal and also alleged that he and his family were threatened by the Ryanair staff at the airline's gate.

Calling it unacceptable, Sangakkara wrote on X, “Has anyone experienced discriminatory gate personnel @Ryanair in Dublin? I was with my family just now, and it was shocking. The tone of address, the mishandling of procedure, and the threatening behaviour. Unacceptable for any passenger. First bad experience in Dublin.”

However, the 48-year-old did not reveal the exact circumstances that led to the confrontation with the Ryanair staff. Meanwhile, his post quickly went viral on social media, gaining 3.3 million views at the time of writing.

His post drew attention from fellow Sri Lankan IT specialist Sanjiva Weerawarana. "Kumar, I have experienced discrimination in every part of the West. I lived there for 16 years, travelled back and forth for another 25, and now I'm done," wrote Weerawarana.

In response to Weerawarana, Sangakkara wrote: “It is quite jarring when you experience it @sanjiva.” British journalist and broadcaster Piers Morgan also came in support of Sangakkara and urged Ryanair to address the matter "urgently and properly".

"Rarely met a more decent, dignified man than Kumar. For him to say this, it must have been truly shameful behaviour. I hope you deal with this urgently & properly @Ryanair," Piers wrote on X. However, Ryanair is yet to respond on the matter or issue a clarification publicly.

What's next for Kumar Sangakkara?

Meanwhile, Sangakkara will have a busy next two months, as the Rajasthan Royals head coach prepares to plan ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) retention and auction in November and December respectively. While the IPL 2027 auction is set for December 16, the retention deadline is one month prior to the mini-auction.

About the Author

Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.