Passengers claim the 89-year-old was helped onto the aircraft by five of her relatives, who told staff she was unwell and had fallen asleep
Were you on the flight? If so, email franklin.elliott@global.com
Shocked holidaymakers have claimed a dead grandmother was boarded by her family on to a easyJet flight from Spain to Gatwick.
Loading audio...
Passengers claim the 89-year-old was helped onto the aircraft by five of her relatives, who told staff she was unwell and had fallen asleep.
But as the plane was about to leave the runway at 11.15am, cabin crew were made aware that the elderly woman had passed away, delaying the flight by 12 hours.
Read more: British Airways passenger sneaks onto Heathrow flight without detection
Read more: Student group sparks Christmas row with LGBT nativity play
Witnesses say the family had placed her body into a wheelchair and pushed her to the rear of the aircraft, where they lifted her into a seat.
They had been allowed to do so because they told a boarding clerk that their relative was "just tired", and even added "It's OK, we're doctors."
The family looked to have gotten away with it as the plane started to head down the runway, but their bizarre plan was unravelled when crew members realised the woman was dead and dramatically stopped the plane.
EasyJet has denied the claims, saying the passenger had a fit to fly certificate and was alive when she boarded the plane.
But passenger Petra Boddington told the Daily Mail: "What were easyJet ground staff thinking today? They asked the family five times if this woman was ok… she was clearly not ok!
"To the naked eye she looked like she was already dead, slumped unconscious in a wheelchair, so why would she be allowed on to the flight and then disrupt everyone's plans… purely to save the family repatriation?!?
"If I was drunk they wouldn't let me on.. but apparently dead is ok?! EasyJet what's going on?"
Another holidaymaker, Tracy-Ann Kitching, wrote on Facebook: "EasyJet – you are unbelievable! Why did you let a dead person on our flight?!
"Special assistance [the service for boarding passengers with a disability or reduced mobility] are responsible too; they should have raised the issue.
"I saw her wheeled onto the plane; someone was holding her head as they went past me! An actual doctor onboard [confirmed] she was already dead when they put her in her seat.
"However I must show empathy for the poor person who died and the family as well as your cabin and ground crew; what a terrible situation for them.
"I must also praise the First Officer [co-pilot] who came out and patiently answered our questions. He was professional and personable – thank you."
It is unclear what happened to the woman's body after it was removed, but none of the family members were arrested.
This surreal incident meant the flight did not depart until 10.47pm local time, landing back at Gatwick at around midnight.
Transporting human remains across borders is often a complex procedure, as they are usually taken on cargo flights rather than passenger ones.
They are often stored in a specialist casket in the hold rather than in the cabin and the death needs to be registered and certified.
A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Malaga confirmed officers had been called onto the plane because of an elderly British woman, adding: "She was pronounced dead on the aircraft which had been due to leave Malaga for London just after 11am yesterday morning."
An easyJet spokesman said: "Flight EZY8070 from Malaga to London Gatwick returned to stand prior to departure due to a customer onboard requiring urgent medical assistance. The flight was met by emergency services however the customer sadly passed away.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the customer, and we are offering support and assistance at this difficult time.
"The wellbeing of our passengers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority and we would like to thank passengers for their understanding for the delay."
إرسال تعليق