Virgin Australia may have issued a diplomatic apology, but social media users (particularly Kanye West haters) are applauding the carrier after its Twitter account was hacked yesterday.
Count your blessings Virgin, it’s not everyday an airline is hacked and receives consumer compliments – this might actually be the most positive hacking story in aviation history.
In case you missed it: at around 5.19pm on Tuesday 16 February, a tweet was issued by Virgin Australia’s Twitter account. It read:
“@kanyewest EAD you douche.”
Twitter user @adam_lewis managed to screenshot the post:
this is awkward pic.twitter.com/GInEcupts1
— romantic tweets (@adam_lewis) February 16, 2016
For those who don’t keep up with online abbreviations, EAD means – eat a d#ck.
Yep, at 5.19pm yesterday it looked like Virgin Australia was telling the multi-platinum hip hop artist, husband of Kim Kardashian and father of North West to go eat a d#ck… and calling him a douche.
Obviously it wasn’t an intentional tweet by Virgin Australia, but we couldn’t help our reaction:
The airline’s social media team was quick to spot the error and delete it.
This was followed up with an apology: “A recent tweet on our account was not published by a Virgin Australia employee and we are investigating the matter”.
A recent tweet on our account was not published by a Virgin Australia employee and we are investigating the matter.
— Virgin Australia (@VirginAustralia) February 16, 2016
And also: “we apologise for any offence caused”.
2/2 We apologise for any offence caused.
— Virgin Australia (@VirginAustralia) February 16, 2016
Unsurprisingly the tweet not only made headlines but attracted a whole lot of Kanye haters who are now in total awe of Virgin Australia – even though the airline has stressed that it had nothing to do with the tweet.
Australian singer, Johnny Ruffo, assured Virgin that the apology was not necessary because “it was on point”.
@VirginAustralia apologies not necessary!! Your tweet was on point! Virgin you’re the real MVP haha
— Johnny Ruffo (@JohnnyRuffo) February 16, 2016
And Twitter user @ALAW011 said it was only offensive because it was deleted:
@VirginAustralia The only offence caused was by you deleting it and apologising for it
— ALL (@ALAW011) February 16, 2016
Nick aka @dominickj told the carrier that they were “all thinking the same” and Reilly Delahunt said she’s “definitely flying with @VirginAustralia after that daring but welcomed post”.
Definitely flying with @VirginAustralia after that daring but welcomed post.
Intent is irrelevant. #velocity2016— Reilly Delahunt (@ReillyDelahunt) February 16, 2016
There was so much positive feedback on the Tweet it was almost impossible to find a comment defending Kanye.
Kanye West doesn’t appear to have responded yet.
