Boy with Tourette’s denied boarding after bomb remark

[TamanTun]

I was just thinking about the news article about the 13 year old boy who was denied boarding after shouted ‘bomb’ at the gate. His parents had warned the airline in advance, he had his diagnosis letter on him and was wearing a sunflower lanyard. Imagine a world where others would understand and be supportive in a case like this rather than what happened. The family had done everything they could to avoid something like this but yet it did happen. Why can we all not be more accepting? I suppose it comes with educating others and does depend on the situation.

Yep, bollocks to that.

Sacrificing public safety (let’s face it - women’s safety) is not a ‘reasonable adjustment’

So you can’t . Thanks.

Ok, let’s do this the embarrassing way for you.

You’re saying nervous passengers needs trump a disabled person’s. That is neither legal nor acceptable.

That’s not what I said. The legal framework you refer to doesn’t even exist - you can’t have an adversarial system between 2 passengers. It would be the airline showing they made necessary and proportionate decisions to achieve a legitimate aim, an objective anyone with half a brain can see is reasonable here (going by the vast majority of the comments).

the airlines assume responsibility for nut allergies and do announcements and in fact don’t bother with ‘cards’ as well for the theoretical deaf people you brought up.

If you cannot see the difference between an easily implemented blanket rule which has zero issues of confidentiality, discrimination or practicalities, and an airline printing little cards to share the medical information of 1 passenger in a bid to minimise distress when they shout ‘bomb’, I’m not sure you’re up to this debate. I will also mention deaf people are not ‘theoretical’, they exist and I’m sure many deaf people flew even today.

What regulations?

Where does it say he was screaming?

Isn't it obvious? People are in effect saying that a boy with this sort of problem could never be allowed on a plane, because the potential difficulties for other passengers are insuperable. Yet another airline apparently managed it perfectly well shortly afterwards,, presumably on two separate occasions.

More like his parents managed to get him under control

Was that the express purpose? How do you know? Perhaps the purpose was to provide themselves with evidence in order to reclaim their fares.

If you know the magic bullet by which parents can control a child's Tourette's, do tell us all about it. There are many sufferers from Tourette's and their carers who would really love to know.

For someone who wants Tourette's taken seriously, you're very quick to dismiss other needs.

I don't have to explain the cause or timeline of my medical needs to you.

Manifestly people who cannot understand announcements on planes need someone with them to explain them, otherwise how are they ever going to follow directions in the event of an emergency? If a child is old enough to understand "bomb" then they're old enough to have it explained to them why they don't need to worry about it. People with phobias or PTSD will presumably make provision for tranquillisers or whatever they need before they set foot on a plane, given the various unexpected events that can happen. If they've been pre-warned, they're far less likely to be triggered anyway.

Presumably they deal with the issue of announcing the information by securing permission to do so. If the passenger doesn't agree, he doesn't get to fly. But that doesn't appear to have been the issue here.

I don't know what the answer is . But really it's not as simple as be kind and ignore it Z flying is terrifying for lots of people and someone shouting about a bomb whether before or during could be incredible distressing for them as well.

Such a horrible horrible condition. Such an invasion of their privacy

Bullshit.

He wasn’t removed from the flight in case he said the word bomb, he was removed because he did not once, but multiple times.

It’s like any situation. You wouldn’t for instance take an issue with someone with a disability which could mean that they have violent tendencies, but if those violent tendencies actually materialised, then you would take according action.

Presumably the child wasn’t shouting bomb when he boarded the other flight. Somehow I doubt the parents uploaded that bit, you know, the positive side, to social media.

He wasn’t allowed on the other flight because they were understanding, he was allowed on because he hadn’t repeated the previous behaviour. Surely it’s not that hard to understand.

But I stand by my belief that this whole thing was a setup by the parents.

You brought up all those theoretical scenarios to divert the debate away from what it is.

tourettes is a disability and therefore a protected characteristic. Your ‘nervous passenger ‘ example at that level is not.

the deaf passengers again in this scenario were brought up by you and I gave you an off the cuff solution. In reality deaf people are as sidelined by airlines as this poor boy has been.

you are very much trying to derail this thread with some subtext of appeal to your own knowledge which frankly you have failed to display over multiple posts to multiple people.

you’re right I’m very much not up to debating with someone who is trying to derail this thread. I won’t be engaging with you again.

oh and btw you know exactly what I meant by theoretical deaf people. Nice try.

Nope. Just pointing out facts.

there was no hand waving or getting in people’s faces at least as reported so far. Maybe we will hear from the airline more in the next few days. In reality what we most likely will see is that Tourette’s people continue to suffer the most appalling prejudices simply due to ignorance.

You can ‘discriminate’ against a protected characteristic if it is a proportionate way if achieving a legitimate aim. It isn’t a failsafe way of always being a priority. The airline was completely justified in prioritising the comfort and wellbeing of all the other passengers on board. I’m disabled, so I do get it, but my disability is in fact impacted by flying as my medical equipment generally has to be more thoroughly checked than general luggage. I’m fine with it.

The fact 90% of people disagree with you should speak volumes but it doesn’t, because you’ve entrenched a narrow and self righteous view on this thread and can’t bear to admit defeat. That’s your prerogative.

You won’t be engaging with me again as you can’t, you know your posts are weak and inaccurate.

Im sure the lack of legal action, or a failed legal action, in the coming months will be the decider here.

If he shouts ‘bomb’ left right and centre then no he shouldn’t be getting on a plane. It isn’t a human right and airlines are not benevolent services.

Agree.

I absolutely agree with this. Poor lad and poor family.

There was no bomb. There was the word bomb. Totally different

Because what? A boy with Tourette’s saying bomb repeatedly on a plane whose staff have been notified of his condition will what exactly?

Tell us you know fuck all about Tourette’s without telling us

So ASD children who shout a lot shouldn’t be allowed to fly either? Because , you know…. Other people

So if a 23 year old boy with obvious Tourette’s and whose family face notified the airline shouted bomb, you wouldn’t board?

Sounds like you have a problem

Im suggesting that anyone so nervous in the first place should stay away from planes full stop.