Bria Spence, sister of England defender Djed Spence, described a difficult journey to Mexico City to watch her brother play in a World Cup match, becoming stranded in the United States due to a delayed flight.
Spence and her daughter were on a United Airlines flight that experienced technical difficulties, leaving them stuck on the tarmac. The delay caused them to miss their connecting flight from Washington D.C. to Mexico City.
In a social media post, Spence recounted the experience, stating, "I had to get two flights and the first one was delayed by an hour and a half, which means I missed the second one. I was actually losing my head, sitting there on the tarmac for so long."
According to Spence, airline representatives were unhelpful when she sought assistance for alternative travel arrangements and accommodation. She reported that they were initially offered three different flights to unspecified locations in Mexico, all scheduled for the following day. When she requested lodging, she was reportedly told, "I'm not giving hotels under these circumstances," and that sleeping at the airport was an option, despite traveling with her child.
An exchange with an airline representative, as described by Spence, highlighted a lack of empathy. When Spence stated, "But we are stranded. I'm with a child. To have this job you need to have some kind of empathy," the representative responded, "That's up to the person doing it," and when asked if they chose not to help, replied, "Yeah, I chose not to."
Spence, a follower of Tottenham Hotspur, regularly attends her brother's matches and shares her experiences on social media. While her current whereabouts were unclear at the time of reporting, she was expected to arrive in time for the match at the Azteca Stadium.