A 13-year-old boy with Tourette syndrome was banned from boarding a plane and removed from Gatwick Airport by armed police after he shouted ‘bomb’.
British Airways (BA) refused to let Mason and his family board an aircraft bound for Alicante, Spain, at the gate over safety risks.
Dad Martyn, 39, said he had been reduced to tears by the ‘horrendous’ experience and accused the airline of discriminating against his son.
The family, from Harwich, Essex, had spent about £4,000 on flights for their group of 10 and said they had contacted BA the day before they were due to fly to warn them about what Mason – who was anxious about flying – might say.
Mason was also wearing a sunflower lanyard – used by people with hidden disabilities to discreetly indicate that they may need additional support – and had a diagnosis letter with him.
Martyn claimed everything had gone ‘seamlessly’ until the family arrived at the gate, when Mason shouted the word ‘bomb’ several times.
As the family tried to board, a manager told the family they would not be allowed on the plane. They said: ‘We are not refusing him because he’s got a disability. We are refusing him because there’s been a threat made that he has a bomb in his bag.’
The manager added: ‘Because of the threats made on multiple occasions… we have to take (this) incredibly seriously.’
Speaking to the BBC, Martyn said: ‘Everyone was in tears because we’ve been waiting for this holiday for a long time.’
Mason was marched out of the airport along with Martyn, mum Gemma, and his one-year-old sister Ariella – while Mason’s 16-year-old sister was permitted to board with family friends.
Meanwhile, the rest of the family spent the night in a hotel before paying £2,400 to fly with Vueling the following day.
A spokesperson for BA said Mason’s disability was not the reason staff had come to the decision that they did, adding that it was ‘an extremely difficult, complex and distressing situation’.
She added: ‘Due to a number of contributing factors, the decision was made not to allow the group to travel on the flight.’
Tourette syndrome – also known as Tourette’s – is a condition that causes sufferers to experience sudden, repetitive sounds or movements known as tics.
People with Tourette’s do not choose to make the sounds or movements and cannot control them.