‘What an absolute MESS' – James Wade blasts BA over ‘shocking customer service' days before World Matchplay Darts
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
DARTS star James Wade fumed at British Airways after his bags went missing - as he faces a race against time to get them back.
The 42-year-old flew from Heathrow to Hamburg on Friday for the Baltic Sea Open but arrived without his luggage.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
4
James Wade was on his way to the Baltic Sea Open when his luggage went missing from his flight to Hamburg
Credit: Rex
4
Wade was fuming after the responses he received from British Airways' customer service team
Credit: Getty
The eleven-time major winner was knocked out in Kiel, Germany, in the semi-finals by Scot Gary Anderson.
And to rub salt in the wounds, when he arrived back in the UK he discovered his luggage had never left the airport.
Wade claims he was told it would be delivered to his home but wasn't given a time scale, with the World Matchplay - which he won in 2007 - just days away.
The star took to X to complain about the situation in a long and detailed post recounting his frustrating experience.
READ MORE ON DARTS
CHANGE OF DART Two-time darts world champ Lewis at 'crossroads' in major retirement hint
Wade said: "British Airways what an absolute mess.
"Checked in for my flight to Hamburg on BA0974 from T5 Heathrow on Friday 11th July 2025, and said good bye to by luggage for what seems to be forever.
"Landed in Hamburg to the delight of no luggage. I was then told to expect my bag to be delivered to my hotel by 11:30 the next day. With frustration this never happened.
"On return to Heathrow today, I have been informed that the luggage has never moved from its current location and on request that BA return this to me in person.
"I have then been told that they are unable to return my personal and professional possessions and have to wait for their procedure of delivering the luggage to my home address with no specific time scale."
Wade's reference to "professional equipment" suggests his luggage included some of his darts equipment.
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
The timing of the loss could not be worse for the English thrower, who is not sure whether he will receive his items back before he leaves for his next major tournament.
He added: "With me leaving to attend the World Matchplay on Friday the 18th July 2025 in Blackpool you can appreciate this is not ideal preparation for one of the biggest major tournaments of the PDC calendar year.
"Absolutely shocking customer service."
He tagged British Airways' X account in the post.
Wade is the latest darts player to encounter luggage problems in recent weeks.
Gerwyn Price impressively managed to win the Poland Masters two weeks ago with newly bought darts that he had to file down after his signature set was lost in transit.
Meanwhile Ross Smith took to X on Friday to announce he'd also lost his luggage on the way to Hamburg - which he sarcastically labelled a "great start to the European Tour".
He was quickly joined later that day by Chris Dobey, who claimed in a post on X that he had received 'no communication' from British Airways after his baggage was lost.
British Airways have been contacted for comment.
In a previous statement regarding Friday's issues, a BA spokesperson said: "We're working really hard to get our customers' bags to them as quickly as possible following a failure of Heathrow Airport's baggage system on Friday.
"Whilst this was out of our control, we're sorry for the inconvenience caused."
4
Wade will return to action later this week at the World Matchplay in Blackpool - but he is yet to find out if he will have his belongings with him
Credit: Rex
4
England thrower Ross Smith also fell victim to British Airways' luggage problems en-route to Hamburg
Credit: Getty
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Liverpool's ambitious move for Isak can keep Man Utd off their perch once and for all… Fergie would have done the same
THREE decades of looking enviously at Manchester United's dominance clearly brought home the critical lessons to Liverpool. Having toppled the Anfield side off their 'perch', Sir Alex Ferguson set about establishing his own empire. 8 Arne Slot could lead Liverpool into a new dynasty Credit: Getty 8 The club want to add Newcastle star Alexander Isak to their squad Credit: Getty 8 Liverpool could knock Manchester United off the perch that Sir Alex Ferguson made for them Credit: Getty That meant never resting on their laurels — enjoy the moment, celebrate, then start again, making the changes needed to refresh and improve. If that means upsetting some of your players, so be it. The club comes first. And while Arne Slot won his first Prem crown by just tweaking the framework he had inherited from Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool's willingness to smash the British transfer record and bring Alexander Isak to Merseyside for £120million is the clearest signal that the Dutchman is looking to create something permanent. The move for Swedish star Isak, 25, is more than an isolated push in a summer of treading water. Instead, it is Slot laying out his cards. Winning the title was great. But it is only the beginning of his ambitions. With nearly a month to go before the start of the new season and Liverpool's team to face Bournemouth on August 15 could show four changes from Slot's first XI last term. Slot's fellow Dutchman Jeremie Frimpong was recruited from Bayer Leverkusen for £29.5m to fill the void left by Trent Alexander-Arnold's decision to move to Real Madrid. But the other transfer targets were about building something even better from a position of strength. Andy Robertson was a Klopp mainstay for seven trophy-stacked seasons but the Scot has started to look increasingly vulnerable. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Slot suggested Robertson's disrupted pre-season last summer was a factor but appeared to have signed his immediate replacement, bagging Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth for £40m. And while the midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai brought far more control and poise in the engine room than for much of the Klopp era, Slot wanted to upgrade his options. Darwin Nunez performs tragic Liverpool team-mate Diogo Jota's celebration after scoring in first game since his death He did that when Liverpool saw off Bayern Munich to lure Frimpong's Leverkusen club-mate Florian Wirtz, with just a little matter of £100m up front, plus up to £16.5m in add-ons. Now, with many inside and outside the club still mourning the tragic loss of Diogo Jota — something that, naturally, will long cast a shadow over the dressing room — Slot is thinking ahead once more. His interest in Isak has never exactly been hidden, although it appeared Newcastle, desperate to hang on to their attacking talisman, had held off Liverpool's desire to land him. But by making a direct approach now, with Isak all too aware that Liverpool are serious about getting him on board, the Anfield chief is showing he believes the title win was just the beginning. 8 8 TRANSFER NEWS LIVE - KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST FROM A BUSY SUMMER WINDOW It is exactly what Fergie would have done, too. Remember how back-to-back crowns were followed by the shock of losing the title to Blackburn in 1995. Out went stalwarts Paul Ince, Mark Hughes and Andrei Kanchelskis. In came Beckham, Scholes, Butt and the Neville brothers, the Class of 92. It was a pattern that continued. Win then refresh. A pattern that helped Ferguson secure 13 Prem titles in the space of 21 seasons. All while Liverpool, who had been the ones to beat for so long, were suffering a title drought and only managed to finish second twice. Now, with the boot firmly on the other foot, it is Liverpool who are utilising their advantages — just as they always did in those glory days of the 70s and 80s. There may be more to come, too. Slot's signings are eye-catching but he has brought in nearly £56m from the departures of Alexander-Arnold, Jarell Quansah, Caoimhin Kelleher and Nat Phillips, with more to come if Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz go. With Madrid eyeing a move next summer for potentially out-of-contract Ibrahima Konate, the Reds have not given up on Marc Guehi at Crystal Palace. Isak, though, would be the icing on their cake. A line-leader who would offer a constant goal threat, able to hold the ball up and run in behind, and still not even entering his prime years. Keeping hold of Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah was Slot, making them believe last term was the launchpad. What he has done since is already looking like he could finally put Liverpool right back on that perch. 8 Man United last won the league in 2011 Credit: Action Images - Reuters 8 Ferguson won the title 13 times during his illustrious reign Credit: PA:Press Association
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Three Scots cities named among UK's top ten staycation spots
Read on for the full list of all 20 best staycation spots in the UK Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THREE Scottish cities have been named among the best ten staycation spots across the UK. With abroad holidays becoming increasingly more expensive year after year, it's no wonder that families across Britain are choosing to go on staycations instead. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 More and more families are choosing to go on staycations over abroad trips Credit: Getty So, in a bid to help, experts have compiled a list of the best places in the UK for those who don't want to go abroad for their summer holiday destination. And the best bit is they are perfect for people who are looking to avoid the crowds this summer. The new research, conducted by experts at Chicks Gold, scored UK locations out of 100 based on several factors. This included the cost of eating out, the average price of a local Airbnb, and transport costs in and around each town or city. The number of attractions in each area and the number of restaurants per 10,000 people were also taken into account. They then used this data to compile a list of the best ten locations, and three Scottish cities ranked high in the list. Staycations provide a stress-free alternative for those looking to simply relax on their summer holidays Al Alof Scotland is home to a number of wonderful places with gorgeous landscapes that are steeped in history - so it's no surprise that many receive nationwide attention. The top three staycation spots were all awarded to English cities, with Oxford coming in first with a score of 93.60. Coming in at a close second was York, which ended up with a score of 92.80. Rounding out the top three locations is Cambridge, which received a score of 91.40. I found the best staycation in Ireland with private pod, our own hot tub and alpacas and deer on site The first Scottish entry on the list is Aberdeen, and it comes in seventh place with an impressive score of 87.50. Dundee followed very closely behind in the eighth spot in the rankings after receiving a score of 87.40. Edinburgh came in last in the top ten staycation spots with a score of 85.70. Al Alof, the CEO of Chicks Gold, said: 'Thanks to the recent protests across Europe, some Brits may be feeling overwhelmed at the thought of navigating through the crowds of certain European hotspots this summer. "With Europe bracing for an unprecedented tourism boom this summer, it's likely that staycations will become a popular alternative over the next few months. 'While Brits aren't advised to cancel any holiday plans amid growing anti-tourism protests, it's important for travellers to consider whether there are any more viable options available rather than rushing to tourist hotspots. Full list of 20 best staycation spots in the UK Rank. Area - Staycation Score /100 Oxford - 93.60 York - 92.80 Cambridge - 91.40 Guildford - 90.10 Nottingham - 88.30 Brighton - 87.60 Aberdeen - 87.50 Dundee - 87.40 Newcastle upon Tyne - 87.10 Edinburgh - 85.70 Bournemouth - 85.30 Reading - 85.10 Exeter - 84 Kingston upon Hull - 83.79 Norwich - 83.64 Glasgow - 83.08 Derby - 82.98 Liverpool - 82.48 Milton Keynes - 82.22 Leicester - 81.46 "This is why staycations provide a stress-free alternative for those looking to simply relax on their summer holidays. 'This study highlights that the UK certainly isn't short of top staycation destinations. "And they offer both affordability and endless attractions. "Staycations are rapidly becoming one of the most appealing options for UK travellers, because of both cost and convenience. "So, if you're looking to escape from the crowds and travel stress this summer, then don't underestimate the benefits of staying local.'
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
‘How does that happen?' – Darts hero stunned as Michael Smith fails to qualify for World Matchplay
Smith could see rankings drop even further next week DART OF WAR 'How does that happen?' – Darts hero stunned as Michael Smith fails to qualify for World Matchplay Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DARTS ace Matthew Edgar declared 'how does that happen?' after fellow star Michael Smith failed to qualify for the World Matchplay. The tournament kicks off this weekend in Blackpool, with some of the game's biggest names in attendance. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Michael Smith has not qualified for this weekend's World Matchplay tournament Credit: Rex 2 Darts ace Matthew Edgar has questioned Smith's fall down the rankings Credit: Getty But one notable absentee is former world champion Smith. Bully Boy used to be the top player on the planet. And just two years ago he was the No1 seed at the World Matchplay. But a disastrous run of form this term saw Smith fail to qualify for the first time since 2013. READ MORE IN DARTS CHANGE OF DART Two-time darts world champ Lewis at 'crossroads' in major retirement hint He is now ranked 21st in the world, with the potential to drop to 23rd — or even lower — by next week. And the pressure appeared to get to Smith in May when he BROKE a dartboard in anger at the European Darts Grand Prix. Now, ex-PDC slinger Edgar has questioned how Smith has slipped down the rankings so quickly. He said on his Edgar TV YouTube channel: 'Most surprisingly, the number one seed from two years ago hasn't qualified. Crazy, I know. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS "I still can't believe this: two years ago, Michael Smith was the number one seed at the World Matchplay. Now, he's not even in the event. How does that happen? It's madness. "The prize money from that run – where he reached the second round – is now coming off. He beat Steve Beaton 10-2, then lost a high-quality game 11-10 to Chris Dobey. Moment Michael Smith BREAKS dartboard in anger as he issues public apology 'That means £15,000 comes off Smith's ranking, and that could drop him down to world number 23 by the end of this event. It could be even lower depending on results. Just let that sink in – from world number one to world number 23 in two years." However, Edgar believes Smith can turn things around if he gets back to winning ways next year. He added: "If you're going to have a bad year, this is the one to do it, because prize money is going to change drastically over the next couple of years. That means you could have a bad year now, and make it up with a good one next year. 'Michael Smith could definitely turn it around – he's got the quality, a former world champion and multiple-time winner. 'He could easily get back into the top 16 next year with a form turnaround and the prize money cycle shifting."
