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.

They could easily search him and find that there is indeed no bomb on him and then stop being so ridiculous.

Pre boarding would make no difference if he's going to shout it throughout the flight it might of actually made the situation worse as it could of led to an emergency landing

Of course, nobody has ever managed to get a bomb on a plane.

Then it would be a completely different headline, my son was strip searched for having a disability. While posing for daily mail with best compo face

If someone had an involuntary action of sexually assaulting women, then the airline should be making reasonable adjustments, such as seating them on the plane, and not having any other passengers, other than their carer sitting next to them.

Just as the airline should have been making reasonable adjustments for this 13yr old child, same as what the subsequent airline did for him.

I dont agree that someone who shouts bomb for any reason should be allowed on board as a victim of a bomb attack my PTSD would not get me be able to be on that flight there are also other children and people with fears and it's a balance of interests and the airline was right here one disability does not trump others I.e those with anxiety disorders etc.

But how do you know that is what he would do? He was probably anxious prior to boarding, hence the tics. Do we then deny boarding for anyone with Tourette’s in case they shout bomb? Let’s extend that to autistic people who may have a meltdown and upset all the poor people around them. Or maybe just say that if you have a neurological disorder then you shouldn’t be on a plane at all just in case you may do something. Here’s an idea, how about we educate people instead and start looking at different ways of doing things.

I mean it’s a 13 year old kid 🤷‍♀️ He’s disabled. Would people really become terrified if he was shouting some inappropriate things before takeoff? Actual terrorists with bombs don’t tend to shout about it before they board. I truly wouldn’t give a shit and if he doesn’t have explosives on him (which the scanners would pick up) then I think he should be allowed to board.

I wonder if it would have reached a different conclusion if the parents had responded to the intial concern more reasonably.

It sounds like the airline staff handled a difficult situation well, and that although the parents made an effort to put some things in place beforehand, really didn't help matters.

Would it be then reasonable to charge them for 9 seats so that they can be kept empty and refuse them to be able to walk to the toilet so they don't come into close contact with others. Or is it better to say I'm sorry its not going to be possible for this person to fly as we have to put the safety of the other 200 passengers first

Would you want your young children that you’re taking on a nice family holiday to have to sit through a flight with a teenager shouting that they’re going to blow up the plane?

No me neither.

But passengers with autism and other mh issues who have meltdowns on planes get off loaded all the time due to safety and comfort of other passengers

Disability is only for reasonable adjustments. There is also the conflicting rights of everyone to be safe on the plane.

Besides 13 year olds aren't that young. Don't forget the three boys who raped two girls and filmed them in Fordingbridge, Hampshire are 13. People do see teen boys as threat. It will be a very different story is the boy is 3.

You can say oh its just a 13 year old kid but plenty of 13 year old kids are capable of horrific crimes. Im saying as a passenger I wouldn't feel safe or comfortable on a flight with someone shouting this and I'm not alone in this

There is a video of the exchange between a very calm and unfazed airline staff member and the (I assume) Father. The father really does not help the situation at all.

I am with the airline on this. A dreadful experience for the family but the safety of all is paramount.

As an aside, my brother is severely disabled, doubly incontinent and non weight bearing. He also does not have capacity to consent. Several years ago, returning from the US, he was pulled aside and it was deemed he needed a FULL search, inside his pad too. My mum was in absolute pieces and he was so distressed. Their rationale was that people with disabilities were exploited for being disabled and make for inconspicuous mules. Sad but true. The search went ahead. The situation could’ve been handled better, but I do understand.

Tolerance and understanding works both ways.

Exactly, also some 13 year old don't look like young children. A nearly 14 year old might well look more like 15/16.

Lucky he was not in a less accommodating country - he would have been face-planted by the security no doubt.

I think unfortunatly the modern day flying experience is not set up for accommodating people with particular needs.

The airlines make a profit by cramming as many people in as possible, and making the turn around time as short as possible - any delays cost big money.

If an incident occured on the flight, causing it to be delayed or diverted that would impact hundreds of people. That’s not even considering the safety aspect.

There’s no automatic right to fly.

Why not? As I said before, someone actually planning on blowing up the plane wouldn’t be wearing a sunflower lanyard and shouting about it. He will have been scanned and he will not have any explosives on him.

Christ, now we have talk about all the 13yr olds who have committed horrific crimes, when talking about a 13yr old boy who involuntarily, as part of his DISABILITY shouted bomb. He didn't shout "I'm going to blow up the plane", as another commenter has said.

People have lost their minds.

If that is someone’s involuntary action, then it’s not going to stop on the plane. It’s throughout the WHOLE holiday that women and girls are being at risk of being groped.

I would be enraged if an airline sat me or my DC in hand shot of someone like this. Carers are not infallible.

My God, I sometimes think I’m living in some weird virtual world when people can calmly suggest this.

Why is it everyone else’s problem? In fact, don’t answer that, as you’ll just come out with some cock and bull which means women and girls are STILL placed in danger.

If there's no medication he could take that would ensure his behaviour falls within what is acceptable to security protocols, you can hardly blame the airport staff for doing their job.

This might mean favouring safety and security over "kindness", but I'm sure the vast majority of passengers (and staff) will be very grateful that this is the case.

Having been on an aircraft where a passenger made that threat (whilst on the ground), I would say the airline absolutely did the right thing.
And it’s a whole different thing if said once once airborne.

Bomb!
or
I’m going to blow up the plane!
You think there’s a difference? Hahahahaha.
I don’t.

What? It wasn't actually me who made up that scenario. The other person was trying to claim that a child with Tourette's saying bomb was comparable to a dementia sufferer groping women. I said they were NOT comparable.

I absolutely will never condone women and girls being placed in danger, it goes against everything I stand for and actively work against.