A 56-year-old woman in the UK has claimed she was removed from a Jet2 flight minutes before taking off because of her type 2 diabetes, Independent reported. Helen Taylor was about to head to Rome with her husband on October 2 on a romantic holiday when she was told she was unfit to fly. Though she boarded the flight with no problems, staff raised concerns about her health after she returned from the toilet feeling dizzy as she began to sweat.
She explained: "I was desperate for the toilet so I asked one of the cabin crew while people were still boarding whether I could possibly go to the loo. She said, 'Yes no problem'. But when I came out I started to sweat and went a little bit dizzy. The air stewardess saw and asked, 'Are you alright?'''
''I said, 'I am perfectly fine. I had just eaten after not eating all day and I have type 2 diabetes, so it is just my blood sugar leveling. All I [needed] is to sit down and have a drink of water and I will be perfectly fine,'' she told Chronicle Live.
Mrs Taylor also explained she was going through menopause and that within a couple of minutes, she would be "right as rain". However, the stewardess told her she would have to do a medical check on her and went on to ask about her condition.
10 minutes later, the stewardess came back and informed the couple Mrs Taylor would have to disembark because she was deemed a flight risk. "I said,' What for having diabetes? Do I look ill now?' and she said, 'Well actually you don't,'' Mrs Taylor said.
The woman then requested to speak with the captain who agreed she did appear fit to fly. However, he still endorsed the flight attendant's decision to remove her from the flight. The couple said they were then "frogmarched through the airport" and made to return their duty-free purchases before undergoing questioning by Border Control.
"I had never heard anything so ridiculous in my life. I cannot believe how we were treated. It was absolutely insane. They can't do this to people,'' she fumed.
"They were making a decision on unsubstantiated evidence because they were not doctors. They didn't provide any medical or mobility assistance getting off the plane, on the tarmac, or going through the airport. Or any assistance with the bags. And this is when they said I am unfit to fly," she added.
Though the couple initially received no response, Jet2 has since apologised and refunded the cost of the trip.
''After liaising with independent medical aviation specialists, our crew took this decision as the health, wellbeing, and safety of our customers is always our first priority. However, after investigating further as a matter of absolute priority, we have been in touch with Ms Taylor to apologise and to refund her holiday as a gesture of goodwill, '' a spokesperson said.
