Relatives of MH370 Passengers Forced out of Hotel by Ferrari F1
Posted on 22 March 2014 by George Kennedy
As the days and weeks go on since the disappearance of MH370, grieving family members are still asking for answers, yet getting very little in return. Anguish has turned into frustration for many, which has now been abetted by the fact they are being forced out of their hotel rooms, by Ferrari.
The second race of the 2014 Formula 1 season is the Malaysian Grand Prix. It is scheduled for March 30, with two days of practice and qualifying leading up to the race. The Ferrari Formula 1 team made reservations at the Cyberview Hotel, just outside Kuala Lumpur. As a result, grieving relatives of passengers aboard MH370 are being forced out. About a dozen family members have been moved to another hotel.
According to NBC, all the race teams and their support staff combine for about 3,000 employees that travel to each race location. Combined with the fans that fly into the city for the race, it means hotel rooms are hard to come by. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says the teams booked their rooms long before the disappearance of the flight, and that the decision was ultimately that of the hotel’s.
“I feel terribly, terribly sorry for these people,” Ecclestone told NBC, “But it is up to the hotel. What would happen if you told somebody that they no longer had a booking? You would get sued, I’d imagine.”
Ferrari’s hands may have been tied here, but Ecclestone has been known for his brutish demeanor and tactics. Reading between the lines of his statement, one could conclude that F1 would have sued had the rooms not been made available for Ferrari. In spite of that possible outcome, Ecclestone is also throws the hotel under the bus. For the 12 family members relocated, a bad situation has been made worse.
