Professional skateboarder Bastien Salabanzi has called out Vueling Airlines after a disturbing incident that left him, Cele Romero Manzewitsch, and their skateboards destroyed, both literally and emotionally.
In a post to the skateboarding community, Salabanzi explained that while trying to board a flight home, he was stopped by staff and told him and Manzewitsch that their skateboards could not be taken onboard unless they paid an extra €60, roughly $80 USD.
Without payment, the only other option was to destroy their boards on the spot.
According to Salabanzi, he had to snap both his personal board and a brand new one from Manzewitsch in half.
What made it even worse was not just losing his boards, but how the employee seemed to enjoy watching them get destroyed. Seeing that made him realize how some companies care more about money than basic kindness or common sense.
In his own words, the situation was not about safety. It was about money. He pointed out the irony that for $80, a skateboard that was supposedly too dangerous could magically become safe enough to fly.
This was less about regulations and more about a system that treats travelers like numbers instead of people, as per the Lakai Footwear pro rider.
The 39-year-old was frustrated with the airline, saying skateboarders are not welcome on their flights. He told the skateboarding community to skip the airline, pointing out that passengers deserve respect, not to be treated like just another credit card.
He ended his message with a warning for anyone flying to Spain to spend their money somewhere else, because Vueling does not deserve it.
The post has everyone in the skateboarding world talking, with lots of people backing Salabanzi and sharing their own travel nightmares.
Skateboarding has always been about freedom and community, and moments like this show how easily that respect can be lost when corporate rules and profit come first.
For all of us skateboarders, the board is more than just wood and wheels. It is a piece of who we are, an extension of our daily lives.
Being told to break it in half as a condition for flying hits on a deeper level than a simple travel inconvenience.
This was not just about losing a deck. It was about being told that skateboarders, as a whole, are not welcome.
Salabanzi Posted:
"💔 I wish to warn my beloved community that we Skateboarders are not Welcome on @vueling flights!!
3 days ago I was forced to break @azulain brand new board and mine as well in order to get on my plane home. An employee kept telling me that is was for safety reasons but if I pay 60€ ($80) I can bring it onboard. Which means that for that amount my dangerous skateboard would magically transform into the softest pillow 🤣 More seriously tho, seeing the joy and satisfaction on that employee’s face seeing our boards broke in half made me realize how disconnected from our humanity ppl can be. Kindness, caring or common sense has been erased in the name of profits. We expect our neighbors to show love and generosity while being treated like another credit card number by multi million dollars companies. This world is truly heading in the wrong direction and I’m a shame to share the same DNA as those ppl. If you plan on flying to Spain avoid @vueling They don’t deserve your money and you deserve better❤️ #vueling ❌"