A 13-year-old British boy with Tourette syndrome and his family were taken off a flight after the boy shouted the word “bomb” several times. His parents speak to the BBC of ‘discrimination’ and say that the airline had been warned in advance.
Due to the incident, part of the family was unable to join the holiday flight to Spain last weekend.
The parents of 13-year-old Mason say they were escorted from the airport in London, accompanied by armed police. The group was denied boarding at the gate. Converted, they had paid more than 4,600 euros for ten airline tickets.
In video footage taken of the discussion with the staff, it can be heard that the refusal was related to a ‘threat’. Father Martyn calls the situation ‘terrible’ and tells the BBC to have burst into tears. “We have been waiting for this holiday for so long.”
He is said to have warned British Airways the day before about Mason’s tics due to his Tourette syndrome. Mason was clearly nervous about flying. Ultimately, only a few family members were allowed on the flight, including Mason’s sister. The rest had to fly a day later with another airline.
A spokeswoman for British Airways said it was an ‘extremely difficult, complex and harrowing situation’. She said Mason’s condition was not the reason for the refusal. “Due to a number of additional factors, it was decided not to allow the group on the flight,” she says.
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