Air New Zealand takes a swipe at Prince Harry after false claim in explosive memoir

A major airline has taken a swipe at an inaccurate claim in Prince Harry’s controversial memoir Spare.

Air New Zealand has taken a swipe at an inaccurate claim in Prince Harry’s controversial memoir Spare.

In the bombshell tell-all, the Duke of Sussex claimed that his wife Meghan Markle booked a first-class ticket from Mexico to the UK for her father, Thomas Markle, so he could escape media harassment.

“We told him, leave Mexico right now: A whole new level of harassment is about to rain down on you, so come to Britain. Now,” the royal wrote.

“Air New Zealand, first class, booked and paid for by Meg.”

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In the bombshell tell-all, Prince Harry claimed that his wife Meghan Markle booked a first-class ticket from Mexico to the UK for her father, Thomas Markle, media harassment. Picture: Netflix

However, the airline debunked the claim saying they don’t offer first class tickets and it has never operated flights between Mexico and the UK.

The air service told the New Zealand Herald that it only offers “Business Premier”.

“We’ve never had flights between Mexico and the UK. And we only have Business Premier,” an Air New Zealand spokesperson told the outlet.

The airline then took a cheeky dig at the Sussexes on social media.

“Introducing #SussexClass. Apparently coming soon,” the airline wrote on its official Facebook and Twitter pages with a crown and “shifty eyes” emojis.

Introducing #SussexClass 👑 Apparently coming soon 👀

— Air New Zealand ✈️ (@FlyAirNZ) January 12, 2023

The airline’s cheeky swipe sparked mixed reactions online, leaving some users unimpressed.

“Bad form Air NZ. Someone in the social media team clearly isn’t a Harry fan and though the whole customer base would find this funny,” one user tweeted.

“Bad show Air New Zealand,” a second user wrote.

“Note to you Air NZ, supporting and picking sides is not a smart idea,” a third user said.

“’Especially when the majority of the argument is around racism and treatment of people of colour.

“Not sure who is operating your Twitter account but I strongly suggest to get them replaced.”

Some commenters defended the royal couple.

“So silly. Did he say ‘direct’ from Mexico? I’ve flown business from Mexico,” one person tweeted.

“Of course the first leg wasn’t but when transferring at Houston I was then put in Business. Storm in a teacup.”

“Given your awful customer service this last year you’d be no one’s first choice,” another user said.

“Think yourself lucky you got a mention in a massively selling book!”

Other users applauded the airline’s dig.

“Any spare seats?” one wrote.

“I love this! Good on them! Best way to confront lies is with humour.,” another person said.

“Well done Air New Zealand - Love it!” a third wrote.

Air New Zealand debunked the claim saying they don’t offer first class tickets and it has never operated flights between Mexico and the UK. Picture: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

The news comes as Harry’s ghostwriter defended inaccuracies in Spare, blaming the book’s errors on the Duke’s memory.

J.R. Moehringer took to Twitter on Thursday to brush off “inadvertent mistakes” with a quote from The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr.

“The line between memory and fact is blurry, interpretation and fact,” the excerpt reads.

“There are inadvertent mistakes of those kinds out of the wazoo.”

https://t.co/u6ztJtu7tLpic.twitter.com/c8TEy5DRza

— J.R. Moehringer (@JRMoehringer) January 11, 2023

Eagle-eyed readers have accused the former military pilot of making “factual errors” in the memoir.

The Prince, for example, asserted that he was at boarding school when he found out about the Queen Mother’s death in March 2002, with multiple reports setting the record straight.

The then-teenager was reportedly on a Switzerland ski trip at the time with his brother Prince William and father King Charles III.

Harry also wrote that King Henry VI was his “great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather,” but many social media users have pointed out that the sovereign only had one son, Edward of Westminster, who died in battle and had no children of his own.

“Prince Harry cannot even fact-check his own family tree given that he remains under the impression he is descendant from King Henry VI, whose son died childless at 17,” one person wrote. “But sure, let’s all believe.”

– with NY Post

Originally published as Air New Zealand takes a swipe at Prince Harry after false claim in explosive memoir