HE’S FINALLY ON THE PLANE! This is my son Leo he is 15 he has severe autism and the mental capacity of a 3 year old.. who tonight Ryanair refused to let fly home because he was distressed when they wouldn’t let him have his doll and demanded payment for it as hand luggage.
Police were called and 4/5 of them surrounded him at Alicante airport .. they physically touched him without his awareness and his doll which caused his meltdown. If they had any autism awareness they would have known this would always escalate to a meltdown.
Special assistance had been requested as not all disabilities are visible but we were told no by Ryanair because Leo can walk. He had to be then taken to the airport Doctor and medicated as he was so distressed. Ryanair off loaded the luggage and offered them no other way to get home, shrugging shoulders saying no flights til next Tuesday. In desperation his carer went to the Jet2 desk to beg for help and they were outstanding ..
Anna and Mark were outstanding ground Jet2 staff .. they stayed with Leo from when they bought new tickets at the desk and have been sat on the floor with him as he was so frightened to board the plane trying to calm and reassure him. He was in a wheelchair at this point due to them medicating him.
The other lady in the photos is Ellie and she is Jet2 cabin crew .. sat on the floor calming him and she is putting his babies to bed for him and talking to him, which will keep him calm .. she was amazing ..
This plastic doll item she has on her knee is what RYANAIR wanted to charge for and take off him, his carer had NOT even refused the payment! At the time of boarding he didn’t even have all these dolls they were bought after the event to help calm him before trying to get him on the jet2 flight. What is even more unbelievable the carer was wearing the recognised Lanyard which is used to alert airport staff to a non visible disability!!
Jet 2 I cannot thankyou enough for getting my disabled vulnerable boy home .. and treating him with kindness .. dignity and respect, and most of all time .. autistic children need extra processing time .. not spanish Police threatening him with injections! The ignorant actions of Ryanair and ground staff escalated this situation. Even the Jet2 Captain came to check on Leo’s wellbeing .. and a special thankyou to the kind gentleman who was travelling with his daughters who offered much appreciated assistance.
Please accept my thanks from the bottom of my heart. I will not be patronising this airline again .. in my opinion they are driven by utter greed and in this instance void of humanity, and I intend to follow-up this incident.
Please please everyone share this for me, I would be so grateful and really want to show the level of compassion and outstanding customer service Jet2 have shown 💖
Credit Helen Estella
