Irish airline RyanAir tried to charge a boy with “severe autism” for his small “comfort” doll as a carry on item Saturday while in an airport in Spain, his mother said. Accompanied by a caregiver, the boy suffered an “autistic meltdown” and then was surrounded by five police officers, according to his mother, and the airline refused to allow him to board the plane for home.
And then he was “drugged” by a Alicante–Elche Airport “doctor,” she said.
Leo’s mother Helen Estrella contacted the airline, tweeted at it, and then posted a series of updates on Facebook about what happened to her son.
RyanAir has been in the news for refusing to allow a refugee on a flight and last fall did nothing when a white man from the UK verbally attacked an elderly black woman in a racist rant calling her a “black bastard.”
Seeking comment, Ryanair emailed a statement to Heavy largely denying Estrella’s account. The airline claims to teen never made it to the boarding gate.
Here’s what you need to know:
Five Police Officers Were Called When Leo Had a ‘Huge Autistic Meltdown’ & the ‘Petrified’ Boy Was ‘Drugged’ After Being Denied Access to His Flight Home
Estrella said her son, who has the intellectual and emotional age of a 3-year-old, was traumatized when the boy, accompanied by a caregiver, had airline personnel charge extra for his small doll as a carry-on item. The boy became agitated and soon airport police were summoned.
She said 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.”
“My poor Leo is at Alicante airport and they wanted to charge to take his doll on board .. he has had a huge autistic meltdown and they have brought 5 police to him and refused to let him on the flight! He is now petrified and stuck in Alicante …”
Estrella said that he was “surrounded” by the police who “physically touched him.”
“If they had any autism awareness they would have known this would always escalate to a meltdown,” she wrote. She said Ryanair “off loaded the luggage and offered them no other way to get home, shrugging shoulders saying no flights til next Tuesday.”
Estrella explained that her son’s caregiver, called a “carer,” was told Leo could not receive any special accommodation for people with disabilities. The reason given, she said, was that her son was ambulatory.
“Shame on you Ryanair you are a disgrace!! His carer requested special assistance but Ryanair declined it because he can walk!!! NOT ALL DISABILITIES ARE VISIBLE YOU UTTER IDIOTS!!!! utter disgrace ????”
Estrella said Leo was “taken to the airport Doctor and medicated”
After 3 Tweets, Ryanair Responded With a ‘Sorry’ & Link to a Complaint Form. Later, Ryanair Gave Heavy a Statement Largely Denying Estrella’s Account
@Ryanair Your company seriously needs to look at training staff to understand Autism. This is a disgrace 😡
Estrella tried to contact Ryanair on Twitter.
“@Ryanair Your company seriously needs to look at training staff to understand Autism. This is a disgrace ?”
The airline replied: “We are sorry to hear this. Please submit a complaint … and our customer service department to investigate.”
Ryanair emailed Heavy with a statement denying Estrella’s account.
“This teenage passenger and his carer were provided with special assistance by Alicante airport after checking in. (All such assistance in Alicante is provided by the Airport Authority).
“At passport control, the teenager became agitated and aggressive towards his carer and the carer took the decision not to travel. The passengers were then taken to the airport medical assistance team where the upset passenger received sedation.
“As these two passengers never arrived at the Ryanair Boarding gate, their luggage was offloaded at the request of Alicante passport control staff, who advised Ryanair’s gate agents that they had decided not to travel.
“These two passengers did not arrive at the boarding gate, and therefore, they were not “denied boarding” and neither were they charged for any hand luggage.”
After Leo Was ‘Drugged,’ & in a Wheelchair, Airline Jet2 Stepped in to Help the Autistic Boy
Estrella said her son’s caregiver went to a nearby airline, Jet2, and “begged” for help. She said the airline was “outstanding.”
Jet2 provided tickets for a return flight and remained with the boy “as he was so frightened to board the plane trying to calm and reassure him.”
Estrella said members of the cabin crew calmed him, and with the small doll, and others donated to the boy, “sat on the floor calming him …putting his babies to bed for him and talking to him, which will keep him calm.”
Leo and his caregiver, who was wearing a “recognized Lanyard which is used to alert airport staff to a non visible disability,” were boarded early and “given him a full row of seats.”
“Shame on you Ryanair. You have frightened my son from flying for life and a vulnerable child has had to be drugged because of your greedy money-making .. .You are a disgrace ?? I suggest you take a look at how Jet2 do things.”
Estrella thanked the airline.
“I cannot thank you enough for getting my disabled vulnerable boy home and treating him with kindness and dignity and respect,” she wrote.
Estrella wrote, “autistic children need extra processing time .. not Spanish Police threatening him with injections! The ignorant actions of Ryanair and ground staff escalated this situation.”
Tens of Thousands Have Shared Their Outrage on Estrella’s Facebook Posts & Some Suggest Ryanair Should be Fined
“It seems it’s was Ryanair trying to stop him having his dolly that started the whole chain of events. That’s autism awareness 101 for airline/service staff surely?”
“It’s not the first time I’ve read this sort of thing about Ryanair and it probably won’t be the last. I am absolutely disgusted with the attitude of this airline. Well done Jet2 for stepping in and being so compassionate. I hope your son is ok after this horrific ordeal x”
“ATROCIOUS I sincerely hope those at the Top in Ryan Air take note of all comments relating to this incident.No child should be put through such treatment far less one who is Autistic. Hopefully future holidays will go smoothly and Bye bye to Ryanair. DISGRACEFUL!!!”