A 13-year-old schoolboy with Tourette's syndrome was left in tears after being barred from boarding a British Airways flight at London Gatwick Airport because he involuntarily shouted the word 'bomb'. Mason Entwistle, from Harwich, Essex, was deemed a security risk and, along with his family, was prevented from flying to Alicante, Spain, on Saturday.
Family's Ordeal
Mason's father, Martyn, described the distressing scene, saying his son was 'crying on the floor and desperately apologising'. Mason reportedly screamed, 'What's the point in my life if I'm not allowed to do anything?' The family, travelling in a group of 10 on a £4,000 holiday, had informed British Airways about Mason's condition days before and he was wearing a sunflower disability lanyard.
Escalation at the Gate
According to Martyn, Mason's tics worsened as they waited at the departure gate. A duty manager then escorted them to the boarding bridge, where the captain refused to let them fly. Video footage shows Martyn challenging a BA manager, who stated, 'We are refusing him because there's been a threat made that he has a bomb in his bag.' After 40 minutes, three armed officers arrived and escorted the family away.
Martyn criticised the lack of assistance for his son, saying, 'It's intimidating for an adult when you've got armed officers with guns behind you, let alone for an upset kid.' The family was later refused transfer to another BA flight, forcing them to spend an additional £2,400 on replacement tickets with sister airline Vueling.
Call for Training
Martyn has contacted Tourette's charities to prevent similar incidents, urging airlines to train staff for such scenarios. A British Airways spokesperson called it 'an extremely difficult, complex and distressing situation' and said the decision was made due to 'a number of contributing factors'.
