London, England – A family from Britain experienced a travel nightmare when a 12-year-old girl with a severe peanut allergy was kicked off a SunExpress flight bound for Turkey. The girl’s father, Nick Sollom, recounted the incident to The Telegraph, explaining that they were removed from the flight after voicing concerns about his daughter’s peanut allergy and requesting an announcement asking passengers to refrain from eating peanuts.
According to Sollom, the airline refused to make the announcement, citing company policy. SunExpress later confirmed that they denied the request for an announcement due to the inability to guarantee an allergen-free environment on their flights. The situation escalated when Sollom persisted in asking passengers not to consume nuts, leading the captain to decide that it was safest for the family not to travel on that particular flight.
The airline stated that Sollom’s behavior towards the crew members, which he denies, was aggressive enough to warrant their removal from the flight. Sollom disputed these allegations, emphasizing that he did not display any aggressive behavior during the incident. The airline pointed out that passengers are required to notify them of any special care needs, including medical conditions, 48 hours before a flight, a step that was reportedly not taken in this case.
Upon being removed from the flight, the family had to book a last-minute flight with another airline, resulting in a significant financial loss. SunExpress acknowledged the inconvenience caused to the family and expressed intentions to review their booking process to better accommodate passengers with allergies in the future. Ultimately, the incident sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals with severe allergies when traveling by air.