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View Full Version : Man sues Sunwing Airlines over 'Champagne,' claiming he was served sparkling wine instead



Teh One Who Knocks
10-20-2017, 10:18 AM
By Katherine Lam, Fox News


https://i.imgur.com/nqtvCB9.jpg

A Canadian man is suing an airline, claiming it promoted false advertising when it offered “Champagne service” but served sparkling wine instead, a report said on Wednesday.

Daniel Macduff was flying Sunwing Airlines from Quebec to Cuba for vacation when he was offered the complimentary Champagne service, the BBC reported. Macduff said when he received his glass of bubbly, it was ordinary sparkling wine and not actually "Champagne" — a designation for wines produced in the Champagne region of France. He also said he didn’t receive the service on his returning flight.

The unsatisfied flyer said he’s suing the airline because it was false marketing, according to his lawyer.

"It's not about the pettiness of Champagne versus sparkling wine," lawyer Sébastien Paquette told the BBC. "It's the consumer message behind it."

Sunwing said in a statement to Fox News that it uses the terms “Champagne service” and “Champagne vacations” to “denote a level of service in reference to the entire hospitality package," not the specific beverages that would be given to passengers. The airline also called the lawsuit " frivolous and without merit.”

Champagne is itself a variety of sparkling wine, though the name "Champagne" is legally protected and usually refers only to wines produced in its emponymous region. Sparkling wine, meanwhile, refers to all other carbonated wines.

The airline has since changed the name of the complimentary service. Under the “food and beverages” section, it now states a “welcome glass of sparkling wine” will be given to passengers for free, excluding flights to Florida, Las Vegas, and in Canada.

The airline also said in its statement: “Anywhere that we’ve detailed our inflight services, we have accurately described these as including “a complimentary welcome glass of sparkling wine” across relevant marketing materials and even announce them on the aircraft.”

Teh One Who Knocks
10-20-2017, 10:20 AM
He's suing over semantics for a complimentary service that cost him absolutely nothing :facepalm:

lost in melb.
10-20-2017, 12:26 PM
I read there's a class action now. Insanity!

Goofy
10-20-2017, 12:35 PM
What a shame :(

Teh One Who Knocks
10-20-2017, 12:36 PM
I read there's a class action now. Insanity!

I don't know about in Australia, but here in the US, 'sparkling wine' is just referred to as champagne (generic) because everyone knows what it is. It would take a total fucking wine snob to be 'offended' that they weren't actually getting real Champagne from that area of France. It's absolutely ludicrous. Whatever lawyer took this guy's case should be disbarred.

lost in melb.
10-20-2017, 12:42 PM
I don't know about in Australia, but here in the US, 'sparkling wine' is just referred to as champagne (generic) because everyone knows what it is. It would take a total fucking wine snob to be 'offended' that they weren't actually getting real Champagne from that area of France. It's absolutely ludicrous. Whatever lawyer took this guy's case should be disbarred.

Exactly. As far as we are concerned here (and probably anyone over 35) Champagne is sparkling wine.

Goofy
10-20-2017, 12:49 PM
Fuck champagne, gimme a beer any day!

Teh One Who Knocks
10-20-2017, 12:50 PM
I never drink wine/champagne, gives me the WORST fucking headache every time, all it takes is one glass.

Muddy
10-20-2017, 01:31 PM
Wine is the worst.. It taste like that smell you get in your nose after you vomit..

Goofy
10-20-2017, 02:05 PM
I never drink wine/champagne, gives me the WORST fucking headache every time, all it takes is one glass.

I rarely drink it tbh, last time i did have a go on white wine i ended up blootered and had a major hangover the next day :lol: I quite like red wine but rarely touch it either tbh


Wine is the worst.. It taste like that smell you get in your nose after you vomit..

Lovely :lol:

deebakes
10-20-2017, 11:53 PM
seems legit :-k