A BBC weather presenter kicked off a flight in a nut allergy row said the experience was “humiliating and desperate”.
Georgie Palmer, 49, was ordered off the SunExpress flight from London Gatwick to Dalaman in Turkey last Tuesday.
Her husband Nick Sollom, 48, and their daughters Rosie, 12, and Annie, 14, were also ejected by the flight’s captain.
Georgie said staff refused to make a standard announcement asking passengers not to eat peanuts as her daughter has an anaphylactic allergy.
She instead asked passengers around her not to eat peanuts and to pass on the message – which they were happy to do.
But the pilot allegedly demanded the family leave before he took off.
In an interview on Good Morning Britain, the BBC presenter said the whole experience was “absolutely humiliating and desperate for my daughter”.
She said anaphylaxis is “terrifying” and called on airlines to improve their allergy policies.
She added there is a “deep lack of clarity” about allergy policies but that after a decade of flying, this was the first time they had had such a difficult experience.
Georgie said in previous years she would call beforehand, follow the rules on the website and let cabin crew know as they boarded.
However, she said she had tried to contact the airline in advance but was unable to get through.
Describing the incident she told the Mail: “How we were treated was disgusting. The captain decided because of my daughter’s allergy he didn’t want to fly with her on board.
“When he found out I had spoken to the other passengers he was screaming at me from the cockpit. He was so angry, the next thing I knew we were told to get off the plane.
“It is really beautiful how every passenger on that plane was so wonderful but nobody working on that plane showed one ounce of compassion.”
Writing on Instagram, Georgie had previously said: “I thanked the beautiful souls on our plane for helping us.
“Many of them hugged, cheered and held our hands as we were forced to disembark.
“The SunExpress captain and cabin crew refused to make the standard announcement on behalf of our daughter.
“We gently asked the passengers at the front of the plane to share our request.
“Row by row, all the passengers turned back to kindly ask the row behind to please not eat nuts on the flight.
“It was calm, earnest and with an overwhelming sense of solidarity and empathy.”
Georgie added: “There’s no beef with simple asks like these. People get it!
“We were hoofed off the plane after the angry little captain shouted at us from the cockpit.”
The family booked into an airport hotel and took an EasyJet flight to Dalaman the next day – costing them an extra £5,000.
FLIGHTMARE
A SunExpress spokesman said: “We take the safety of our passengers very seriously.
“Shortly after boarding our flight, the passenger raised a concern about one of his family group having a serious peanut allergy.
“They requested an announcement to other passengers. We refrain from making these kinds of announcements.
“Like many other airlines, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment on our flights.
“Nor can we prevent other passengers from bringing food items containing allergens on board.
“Due to the insistent behaviour of the passenger to others on board, the captain decided it would be safest if the family did not travel.
Travelling with an allergy - expert advice
HERE are Anaphylaxis UK's tips for flying safely if you have an allergy:
- Organise travel insurance. Declaring an allergy to the travel insurance provider is important, as failure to do so can mean your claim is rejected, and you’ll have to cover the cost of any medical treatment yourself. If you have further questions about travel insurance, see your travel insurer’s website and/or contact them via email or phone.
- Ensure that the airline you are dealing with is the one actually operating the flight. Some are franchised out to different airlines which may not have the same policy or not be advised of special arrangements.
- Speak to the airline customer service desk in advance about their policy for food allergic passengers. Make sure you fully understand what you need to travel and what they expect of you (e.g. your own medication, a doctor’s letter etc.).
- Explain to the airline the potential problems which may occur. Do this calmly without making aggressive demands.
- If you are successful in securing special arrangements, ensure these are in place for all connecting and return flights. Try to obtain any verification in writing and take copies of airline letters with you when you fly.
- Ask that your information can be forwarded to the flight crew.
“When this was explained to the passenger, he behaved aggressively towards our crew members and tried to gain access to the cockpit.
“To ensure the safety of our crew and our passengers on board, we cannot tolerate aggressive and unruly behaviour on our flights.
“Our website states that passengers must notify us 48 hours in advance of any special care required due to a medical condition.
“No such notification was received from the passengers in this instance.”
The spokesman added: “However, we are fully aware that this was an upsetting situation for the family.
“We are taking the incident as an opportunity to conduct a review of the information provided during our booking process.
“This will ensure more effective solutions for passengers with allergies.”
Nick denies acting aggressively.
