Avanti: Train company apologises for pandemic tweet - BBC News
A passenger "disappointed" to be stranded was messaged with "I'm disappointed there is a pandemic".
Avanti has apologised for the tweets sent early on Tuesday morning

Train operator Avanti has apologised for "sarcastic" tweets about Covid-19 it sent to a stranded passenger.

The passenger complained on Twitter he was "disappointed" when his train from Wolverhampton was cancelled, and asked for advice on onward travel.

Avanti responded by saying: "I'm disappointed there is a pandemic. You can catch the next service."

A spokesperson said posts fell "well below the standards we expect".

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The thread of messages continued when the passenger - who has been contacted by the BBC for comment - replied to say he did not think it was unreasonable to ask what to do, adding the "sarcasm" had been "unwarranted".

A tweet was then returned from Avanti's account reading: "Without a pandemic, we would have a full quota of train crew to be able to run a full timetable."

The company said it was in touch with the passenger to offer him its apologies directly.

"We know we didn't get this right hence why we have apologised," a spokesperson said.

"It falls well below the standards we expect."

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