14 October 2023 , 08:19
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A family say they were treated "like criminals" after their daughter had an allergic reaction aboard a Jet2 flight.
The Forsyth family now find themselves trapped in Turkey after the airline allegedly abandoned them and frog-marched them out of Dalaman Airport. Armed police took the Scottish family from the airport and led them outside late on Tuesday night. Denny, a mum-of-four, had boarded the flight home while trying to administer antibiotics to her daughter, Halle, 10. They told an air stewardess about it, and moments later were booted from the flight.
Halle, who was suffering an allergic reaction after a stray cat had rubbed against her legs earlier in the day, had needed antibiotics to temper side effects of the feline interaction. But explaining this to Jet2 staff proved difficult, and soon after Alyson, Halle, husband Gary Mochrie, 40, and their disabled son Gary Jnr, 12, were kicked off the flight. Alyson has since slammed the airline for being "treated like criminals".
Halle was left with a nasty rash after a stray cat brushed up against her (Daily Record)Alyson told the Daily Record: "We were treated like criminals because my daughter had an allergic reaction to a stupid cat and was given antibiotics for a rash. I explained that we had been staying at Jet2’s Julian Forest resort when it happened. The next minute the stewardess came back and said my daughter couldn’t fly because she had been in a forest and a cat attacked her. I tried explaining that there was a mistake and that was the name of the resort but they told us we had to get off.
"They said we’d be taken care of and that Jet2 would put us in a hotel near the airport until we got a fit to fly certificate for Halle. But after we got our bags back, I asked the rep what was happening next and they said 'it’s not our problem'. They said we had to contact our insurance company. The police then came over and they were standing around us with their guns. It was incredibly intimidating.
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"The kids were crying because they thought their dad was going to get shot. We were marched outside the airport and dumped on a bench. We were there for about two hours trying to get hold of our insurance company but there was a problem with the phone lines. We tried calling Jet2 but they said there was nothing they could do and hung up on us. Luckily a taxi driver helped us and found us somewhere to stay. A rep was meant to come see us on Wednesday but no one arrived. Two finally showed up on Thursday."
The family has since had to pay for another hotel out of their own pocket while they try and get a fit to fly certificate for Halle. The family were later moved to a Jet2 hotel on Thursday night and received medical clearance to board and fly home. Alyson added: "The way we have been treated is absolutely appalling. I would hate for it to happen to any other family. When Halle was at the hospital for her rash, we asked four different people if she needed a medical letter to fly and were told no because she hadn’t been kept in overnight. It was just a rash. They gave her antibiotics and a cream as a precaution. When we checked in at the airport, I asked a Jet2 rep if we were okay to take the medication on the plane. He said it was absolutely fine and was laughing and joking with Halle, telling her to stay away from cats."
A spokesperson for Jet2 said: "After liaising with independent medical aviation specialists, our crew took this decision as the health, well-being and safety of our customers will always be our first priority, and we stand by their decision. We have always advised Ms Forsyth that our team will of course assist in arranging alternative flights back to the UK, and following receipt of their Fit to Fly certificate this afternoon (12th October), we are pleased to confirm that we will fly them on the next available flight to the UK tomorrow (13th October).
"Our teams have been in contact with Ms Forsyth and her family to assist throughout. We will issue an insurance statement to be shared with her insurance provider in regard to any additional costs. We are of course sorry to hear about this experience, however we will always put health and safety first."