Oasis Fans Slam Wembley Over Access to Accessible Tickets as ‘Unfair’

Oasis fans have found obtaining accessible tickets for Wembley Stadium to be an “impossible task,” as many were forced to call a single phone number thousands of times.

General tickets for the band’s comeback tour went on sale at 9am on Saturday, directing fans needing accessible tickets to call a designated phone number for the Wembley concerts.

Frances Mobbs described trying to get accessible tickets for her son as an “impossible task.”

Mrs. Mobbs, from Norfolk, aimed to secure four tickets for her 41-year-old son Nick Mobbs, his carer, and two family members for the concert on July 26.

Despite sending through supporting documents, she faced continuous frustration while trying to get through on the phone for two hours.

“My son has been a fan from day one, like millions of other people, and we’re trying to get tickets,” she expressed.

“I know I’m one of thousands and thousands and thousands of people, but there’s one dedicated phone line which is constantly engaged or saying we are unable to complete your call.”

She added, “I’ve been calling for two hours, I keep repeating and repeating. It’s frustrating, totally and utterly frustrating.”

Mrs. Mobbs, 67, revealed her son, who is paraplegic with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, had major surgery this year, making seeing Oasis a “bucket list type thing.”

“He’s not able to go in the crowd; he’s in a wheelchair. It’s just disappointing there isn’t a separate page online,” she said.

Getting accessible tickets for Wembley was “probably an impossible task really at the end of the day,” she concluded.

When asked what it would mean to him to see Oasis, Mr. Mobbs simply responded, “Everything.”

Martin, who opted not to reveal his last name, tried calling the phone number more than 1,500 times on Saturday to secure an accessible ticket and a companion ticket for himself and his wife Sarah, 31, who has a spinal condition and fibromyalgia.

Martin, 35, an engineer from Newcastle upon Tyne, had previously tried to get tickets for Taylor Swift and Oasis at Wembley.

“Other places aren’t this hard,” he noted. “You can’t get through to them, and it was the same for Taylor Swift. I’ve pressed recall 1,531 times.”

He praised the companion ticket as a “lifesaver,” highlighting the high additional costs associated with being disabled. “The companion ticket is free of charge, as if my wife wanted to go by herself, she wouldn’t be able to go,” he said.

Martin emphasized, “There’s no reason you should be treated differently from someone getting standard tickets, but unfortunately it’s made harder. My wife feels like a third-class citizen. Accessibility is about being equal and about not being disadvantaged.”

Mark Pithers, 56, from Cambridgeshire, shared a similar experience, calling the accessibility line thousands of times on Saturday.

“It’s just insane. I need a wheelchair space; I have a hip issue which means I can’t walk very far,” Pithers stated.

He continued, “I know they’re limited spaces, but to just keep it on a phone line seems insanity to me and deeply unfair. I’ve redialled 2,000 times since 9am. You get a message that says it’s busy or another that says sorry, the caller is on another line.”

Pithers understood the rationale for keeping accessible tickets in-house, as it simplifies verifying eligibility. However, he believes a dedicated web page would be more efficient.

“Nobody wants to be in the position disabled people are in, so to have this, it’s insulting really. We’re treated like this and expected to keep redialling and redialling in the hope we’re lucky enough to get through,” he added.

A Wembley Stadium spokesman said, “The demand for accessibility tickets to Oasis Live’ 25 has been unprecedented. Unfortunately, this has resulted in longer waiting times than normal.

“For those customers unable to wait on the phone, we have a call-back system in place which allows users to leave their details and await a response from our customer service team.”

The phone-only service is in place for Wembley Stadium to understand the fan’s needs and check proof of eligibility, according to the PA news agency.

Source: PA News Agency