Fury as BA calls Falkland Islands capital by its ARGENTINIAN name in ‘ludicrous and insulting' blunder
Falklands war veterans slammed the error, which BA promised to investigate
FALKLANDS FURY Fury as BA calls Falkland Islands capital by its ARGENTINIAN name in 'ludicrous and insulting' blunder
BRITISH Airways has been branded disgraceful for using the Argentinian name for the capital of the Falklands Islands on in-flight entertainment screens.
The UK's flag carrier airline refers to Port Stanley as Puerto Argentino.
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Port Stanley is the Falkland Islands' only city
Credit: Rex
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255 British military personnel died in the 74-day conflict in 1982
Credit: Getty
The British title is relegated to a set of brackets underneath.
Ed West, of The Spectator magazine, spotted the blunder and said: 'Curious wording for a British Airways in-flight map.'
Last night, BA promised to investigate as the error was described as 'ludicrous' and 'insulting' by Falklands war veterans.
Argentina still claims sovereignty but its invading forces lost the 74-day conflict in 1982.
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British forces scrambled halfway around the world to put down General Leopoldo Galtieri's troops after they took Port Stanley in a surprise raid.
This Saturday is the 43rd anniversary of Britain's victory.
Former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West, who won the Distinguished Service Cross during the war, said the name error was 'disrespectful' to islanders.
He told The Sun: 'It's disgraceful.
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'The Falklands are a British overseas territory and 99.9 per cent of islanders want to stay British.
'We have said very clearly there will be no discussions about sovereignty.
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'For the flag carrier airline to give Port Stanley another name is unforgivable.'
Lord West, whose HMS Ardent was sunk by Argentine forces, added: 'I don't know why they would do it.
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'Everyone on the Falkland Islands calls it Port Stanley.
'They should change it back as soon as possible.
'This is insulting to the population of Port Stanley.'
In all, 255 British personnel lost their lives defending the islands.
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In 2017 Argentina's senate voted to rename Port Stanley as Puerto Argentino and celebrate Sovereignty Day there if it is ever recaptured.
The in-flight map shows only the names of world capitals and not countries' names.
It means BA does not reference the Falklands by its Argentinian name Islas Malvinas.
British Airways' parent company, International Airlines Group, is based in Spain.
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A BA spokeswoman said: 'We are grateful this has been brought to our attention.
'We'll be reviewing it with the third party supplier that provides the in-flight map service.'
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