easyJet passenger ‘deserted’ after onboard emergency needed to fork out £3k to get dwelling

A man with a severe nut allergy was taken ill on a flight from Malaga to Belfast, prompting an emergency diversion to France – but he claims he was denied boarding and had to pay to get home himself

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A traveller whose nut allergy sparked an emergency diversion has hit out at an airline for “abandoning” him. The passenger on board a Belfast-bound flight has slammed easyJet, alleging he was abandoned in France and forced to fork out over £3,000 getting home despite meeting the airline’s demands.

The Malaga to Belfast International Airport service was rerouted to Brest on Sunday after the man, who suffers from a severe airborne nut allergy, fell ill during the flight. Emergency crews greeted the aircraft upon landing and he received medical care before being released.

Whilst the carrier stated the traveller was able to resume his journey, he has now reached out to Belfast Live to challenge that version of events, claiming he was refused boarding on a subsequent flight and abandoned to organise his own return to Northern Ireland through numerous connections, reports Belfast Live.

The traveller, who requested anonymity, said he had adhered to all guidance provided by the airline, including securing a medical certificate confirming his fitness to fly and supplying proof of extra medication.

“I telephoned easyJet and there was a flight from Brest to Gatwick that evening, and there was a flight then from Gatwick to Belfast International at 6 o’clock the following morning. EasyJet booked me on to both of those and my travelling companion. That was fine,” he said.

“I then said that I would find a hotel and I would be back at the airport in the morning because at that point all I wished to do was lie down. However, an exceptional lady who was the manager of check-in and ground staff approached me and said there is one problem. EasyJet were requesting a fitness to fly certificate before they would allow me on the flight to Gatwick this evening.”

“I said, that’s fine and asked where the closest medical clinic was. So I went to the medical centre and a doctor carried out a head-to-toe medical. She said, you’re absolutely perfectly able to fly. There is no indication otherwise, and my blood pressure and pulse had both returned to normal.”

The traveller returned to the airport with the fitness-to-fly certificate, and the ground manager forwarded it to easyJet. On top of that, easyJet then demanded evidence that he was travelling with additional EpiPens.

“As a standard precaution, I will only put my foot onto an aircraft with six, so I produced the other four,” he said.

“They asked how I could prove they had not been used, and I explained that fully. We then waited hours before easyJet came back and said that was fine.”

The traveller said he was then halted at the gate and informed he would not be permitted to board the flight to London.

“I then went to the boarding gate and I was told at the boarding gate for the flight to London Gatwick that the pilot did not want me on the aircraft.

“I asked, could I speak to the pilot. The pilot refused to have any conversation. He said, no, he is not getting onto my aircraft.

“At that juncture, I then had to go back to security, be readmitted to France on my passport. And I then discovered to my horror that there were no other easyJet flights for a few days.”

He explained he was eventually compelled to arrange his own journey home via Paris, London and Dublin, racking up substantial expenses in the process.

“I had phoned easyJet, who were at best disinterested and at worst, couldn’t give a damn. I had adhered to every single thing that they had asked me to do. I had gone to a medical facility. I had had the most thorough medical I’ve ever had in my life. I produced a certificate of fitness to fly. I had proven that I had a quartet remaining of EpiPens. And then they wouldn’t allow me to fly.

“For me to be out in excess of £3000, I think is outrageous.”

He also slammed the airline’s public statement following the incident, which claimed the passenger had been able to continue his journey.

“When I read easyJet’s statement saying that they had got the passenger safely home on Sunday night on a later flight, I was incandescent.

“That is utter nonsense. I did not get home until the following day after travelling on multiple flights.

“They put me at more danger because I was sitting on longer flights. If I had not had the funds available, what was I meant to do?” Belfast Live approached easyJet seeking clarification on why they had originally stated that the passenger had journeyed home later on Sunday, whether he would receive compensation for the expenses he incurred whilst arranging alternative travel, and whether he faced a ban from future easyJet services.

An easyJet spokesperson responded: “When we responded, it was our understanding that there were arrangements for the passenger to travel later that day on an alternative easyJet flight, and we had not yet become aware that he was unfortunately unable to travel on this flight, which meant he travelled with an alternative carrier the next day instead.”

It is believed that the easyJet customer support team have contacted the customer to ensure he receives reimbursement for his alternative travel costs, and to study his feedback regarding his experience.