Canadian conservative author Mark Steyn discovered Friday that his website, steynonline.com is on a United Airlines blacklist that blocks accessing the site while passengers use the airline’s in-flight WiFi system. Steyn learned this by being a passenger on United.
Steyn posted to Twitter about his being blacklisted along with a screen grab:
Hey, @united . I'm on your plane right now using your WiFi, which bans my website: https://t.co/GCIbQSKTTn Why? pic.twitter.com/KMd0y2HvnT
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“Hey, @united . I’m on your plane right now using your WiFi, which bans my website: http://www.steynonline.com Why? “
A closer look at the URL of the screen grab shows that the word ‘blacklist’ is part of the United WiFi re-direct page Steyn got when trying to access his site along with the message, “This site cannot be viewed on United Wi-Fi…”
Steyn posted about the ban with his usual rapier wit including the hashtag skewering of United’s ‘Fly the Friendly Skies’ motto, ‘#FlyThe FascistSkies’ and ‘#FlytheBlacklistSkies’:
.@Xxessw @united It's not often you find a blacklist that's actually called a "blacklist",so at least United is upfront in its Canuckophobia
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“.@Xxessw @united It’s not often you find a blacklist that’s actually called a “blacklist”,so at least United is upfront in its Canuckophobia”
.@JoeSta11ings @Ohmaar1 @WayneUtley @united Yeah, 3,300 bucks for no meal, a lousy bag of chips, a filthy seat and a censored Internet
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“.@JoeSta11ings @Ohmaar1 @WayneUtley @united Yeah, 3,300 bucks for no meal, a lousy bag of chips, a filthy seat and a censored Internet”
Steyn responded to a poster who posted a photo showing steynonline.com was not blacklisted by United competitor American.
.@ForrestinTX Hey, thanks for the tip! I'm taking my biz to free-speech @AmericanAir not thought-control @united #FlyTheFascistSkies
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“.@ForrestinTX Hey, thanks for the tip! I’m taking my biz to free-speech @AmericanAir not thought-control @united #FlyTheFascistSkies”
.@Xxessw Free book+CD for first person to come up with the @united "site-blacklist" #FlyTheBlacklistSkies
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“.@Xxessw Free book+CD for first person to come up with the @united “site-blacklist” #FlyTheBlacklistSkies”
As of this posting, United had not responded to Steyn.
To make matters worse for United, American Airlines tweeted an invitation to Steyn welcoming him to fly American.
@MarkSteynOnline We'll be happy to welcome you with open wings whenever you're ready.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) October 30, 2015
“@MarkSteynOnline We’ll be happy to welcome you with open wings whenever you’re ready.”
.@United Hey, guys. I'm on an actual United flight right now, but @AmericanAir is providing better customer service https://t.co/DWopy81AyM
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“.@United Hey, guys. I’m on an actual United flight right now, but @AmericanAir is providing better customer service “
Steyn added he wants a refund for the in-flight WiFi.
.@RobPNorris @united I want my 12 bucks for WiFi back
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“.@RobPNorris @united I want my 12 bucks for WiFi back”
.@united At 35,000 feet all I can hear are United Customer Service Crickets chirping @AmericanAir
— Mark Steyn (@MarkSteynOnline) October 30, 2015
“.@united At 35,000 feet all I can hear are United Customer Service Crickets chirping @AmericanAir”
