A mother and her diabetic daughter were left stunned after being ordered off a Jet2 flight from Lanzarote, despite the teenager's blood sugar levels being stable. Lee Kelly, 58, and her 17-year-old daughter Tessy Kelly-Hester were returning from a week-long holiday when staff asked them to leave the 8.50pm plane.
Tessy, who has type 1 diabetes, had a slightly low blood sugar reading of 3.6. Her mother asked for a bag in case her daughter felt unwell, which led to a lengthy discussion with staff. After around half an hour, the pair were told that no one on the plane was qualified to assist a diabetic, despite Lee being able to manage her daughter's condition.
Tessy ate something and her blood sugar rose to 6.7, but the decision had already been made. The family was told they needed a 'fit to fly' certificate to board another Jet2 service. They were left stranded in Lanzarote, forced to pay £250 for a hotel and £380 for flights home with a different airline the following day.
Tessy said she 'burst out crying' when told the news, adding: 'I felt like I was isolated and alone... It made me not want to fly anymore.' Jet2 said staff followed advice from medical experts at MedAire, who advised Tessy should not fly on medical grounds. A spokesperson said: 'Our number one priority will always be the health and safety of our customers.'
Lee said she will not contact Jet2 directly, despite the airline encouraging customers to do so. The incident has left the family questioning how such a situation could occur, with Tessy noting that other diabetics could face similar treatment.
