ZB ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

'Savage' details hidden in Ryanair's parting gift to Liz Truss

Author
Thomas Bywater, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Fri, 21 Oct 2022, 6:20PM
Ryanair's 'savage' dig at the outgoing UK PM Lizz Truss contained many subtle layers. (Photo / Screenshot, Facebook)
Ryanair's 'savage' dig at the outgoing UK PM Lizz Truss contained many subtle layers. (Photo / Screenshot, Facebook)

'Savage' details hidden in Ryanair's parting gift to Liz Truss

Author
Thomas Bywater, NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Fri, 21 Oct 2022, 6:20PM

The occupant of 10 Downing Street is packing her bags and looking for a break.

It didn't take long for trolling to begin - but some digs were more subtle than others.

Travel companies were quick to cash in on the quick departure of Liz Truss from the prime minister's Downing Street residence.

Package holiday company Thomas Cook posted a photo of the PM trailing a travel case, less than an hour after the news that the United Kingdom's PM had resigned.

"Think she was rushing to get her flight," quipped one comment, pointing out the crude photoshop had cut off one of the PM's heels.

"The sprint to the gate is on," replied Thomas Cook's Facebook page.

Another Downing Street meme circulating was a 'spoof' advert for short-term rentals with Airbnb, although the leasing website did not claim the image.

Other travel memes were more carefully constructed.

A spoof advert for lettings website Airbnb appeared shortly after Truss' resignation. Photo / Screenshot

A spoof advert for lettings website Airbnb appeared shortly after Truss' resignation. Photo / Screenshot

Budget airline Ryanair was typically cutting.

The Irish carrier's Twitter issued a boarding pass for the prime minister from London Gatwick to "Anywhere". But, there were many levels to this public roasting via plane ticket.

The airline said that the shortest-serving PM in the country's history would approve of the carrier's "25 minute turnaround".

Commentators praised the "savage" commentary, deciphering the in-jokes on the boarding pass. Beyond the seating allocation to 10D - there were some more subtle 10 Downing Street digs hidden in the ticket.

The reference read PM1922, for the 1922 committee that oversaw her resignation.

The sequence read "19" for the 19th Conservative politician to hold the role.

"In case anyone is wondering if the QR code links to anything"... wrote one impressed comment.

The ticket led to a page with the Google currency exchange, showing the rebound in value of Pound Sterling following the news - a shot at the PM's disastrous mini budget which characterised her short term in office.

The Irish airline is known for its cutting social media style.

This isn't the first boarding pass they've issued the PM, during her short-lived tenure.

"You really did seem to predict it," responded another Twitter user.

"Impressive."

The first boarding pass was issued on September 29, the date Truss was appointed to PM following a lacklustre leadership race. It looked like only a short trip.

"Booking that came down today?" Tweeted the airline, with apparent confusion.

In an apparent rush job - the booking was made out to "Tiz Lruss", suggesting the new PM had been hastily appointed, boarding via the "Back Door" - a thinly veiled comment on the party's haste to avoid a general election.

The route was perhaps the most cryptic of the clues, but said the most about Ryanair's own position on the PM and UK politics.

FR 7137 'Lisbon to Dublin' was perhaps a coded reference to the Treaty of Lisbon or "article 50".

For non EU-policy wonks "Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union is the provision for exit."

It was known as the Lisbon Treaty, but finally ratified by Ireland in Dublin, 2009.

AKA the "Brexit Bill" that the UK invoked in 2017 in order to leave the European Union.

As a European Airline based out of the Republic of Ireland - but with the majority of its business carrying UK passengers on flights between Europe and Britain - Ryanair was not a fan of article 50.

Brexit has been a nightmare for budget European carriers.

It's a parting shot at Truss as the PM who promised to "take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit".

It was with mischievous glee, they bid her "adieu".

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you