Backlash over business class complaint
John Barrowman has faced a wave of criticism online after posting a video complaining about the service he received in business class on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to London. The 59-year-old Scottish-American actor, known for his role as Captain Jack Harkness in the Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood and as a former Dancing on Ice judge, filmed himself from his seat, asking why he and his travelling companions — his father and husband — had not received complimentary pyjamas.
In the now-deleted video, Barrowman addressed the airline directly, saying: "Hi American [Airlines] we have paid for the flagship service. Three of us. My father and my husband behind and the tickets were very expensive and we get on thinking we'd get pyjamas with the flagship service. Then you apparently only give them to the first two rows in business class. What's that all about? So far you're not batting very high."
He also complained about a meal order being wrong, adding: "Meal order wrong and then told we don't have exactly what everyone else is getting on the flight when we all have flagship service. Can you explain? Thank you."
Barrowman described the situation as "shady" and "bad customer service", saying the airline's flagship service was "not hitting the ball out of the park". Some reports noted that he tagged American Airlines in the post. The flight, which originated in Los Angeles and was bound for London, was aboard an American Airlines aircraft, and the pyjamas were the kind typically offered to business class passengers on ultra-long-haul routes.
After the video was posted, social media users responded critically, prompting Barrowman to delete it. One person wrote: "The entitlement is off the scale." Another sarcastically said: "Our thoughts are with John Barrowman at this difficult time." A third commented: "Stop moaning about a pair of pyjamas, if you paid business class you can afford a pair yourself!" One user branded the actor a "diva" and referred to his "third world problems", a characterisation that was not repeated in all reports.
Support from some quarters
Not all reactions were negative. Several users defended Barrowman's right to expect the service he paid for. One commented: "To be fair if you pay a lot of money for a service then I'd expect the service I paid for." Another wrote: "I'm in no way a fan of John Barrowman, but how do people have an issue with him asking for something he's paid for?" These supporters argued that customers paying a premium price should receive the amenities advertised.
Barrowman's complaint centred on the discrepancy between what he said he was promised — a "flagship service" that included pyjamas — and what he experienced, including the pyjamas being offered only to the first two rows of business class and a meal order that was not fulfilled as expected.
Career context
Barrowman, who is 59, has spoken previously about personal struggles. Last year, he revealed he had tried to commit suicide after his career came crashing down in 2021, as reported by multiple outlets. He spoke to the Daily Mail in December about his suicidal thoughts. Since then, he has appeared on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and in the theatre production Laid Bare, according to reports.