A British family claims they were kicked off a SunExpress flight for asking other passengers not to eat peanuts due to their daughter’s allergy. Georgie Palmer, 49, a weather presenter for the BBC, and her husband, 48-year-old Nick Sollom, were reportedly traveling with their two daughters on May 21 when the incident occurred.
The couple and staff aboard the aircraft allegedly disagreed over making an announcement reminding passengers not to consume peanuts on the flight. When flight attendants refused to address the issue, Palmer and Sollom apparently took matters into their own hands.
The Daily Mail reported that Palmer and her husband told passengers around them about their daughter’s allergy and asked them to spread the word. When they did, the pilot allegedly became angry at the family and kicked them off the flight. The airline clapped back in a statement backing their employees’ behavior and blaming the family for taking things too far.
Palmer's daughter is apparently extremely allergic to peanuts.
The mother told the Daily Mail her 12-year-old daughter, Rosie, has an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts, and the family has to carry an EpiPen for her protection. She explained to the newspaper that peanuts could be deadly to her daughter.
“We have spent the last 12 years trying to teach people about the allergy and to use epi-pens. It’s a volatile allergen and even if Rosie didn’t come into direct contact with a peanut, if somebody was eating one on board she could die,” she said.
She wanted others aboard the flight to be aware and claims flight attendants would not make an announcement.
The airline had reportedly updated its allergy policies.
According to Palmer, staff aboard the flight from London to Turkey refused to make an announcement reminding passengers not to consume peanuts due to an update in policy. Palmer took it upon herself to tell the passengers around her, and when word got back to the cockpit, the pilot reportedly became enraged.
“How we were treated was disgusting. The captain decided because of my daughter’s allergy, he didn’t want to fly with her on board,” she explained.
“When he found out I had spoken to the other passengers he was screaming at me from the cockpit. He was so angry, the next thing I knew we were told to get off the plane.”
Palmer's family booked with a different airline.
The mother told the Daily Mail that she and her husband spent thousands of dollars getting new flights on a different airline that she felt safe flying with. She said she’d never experienced anything like this before.
“If we had known that policy, we would never have booked with them, but we have been through the website with a fine-tooth comb, and there is nothing,” she explained.
“There was no way to tell the airline beforehand so how many people with peanut allergies will fly on SunExpress this summer not knowing the policy.”
SunExpress addressed the peanut incident.
A spokesperson for the airline spoke to the Daily Mail and apologized for any inconvenience to the family but ultimately blamed Palmer’s husband.
“We refrain from making these kinds of announcements as, like many other airlines, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment on our flights, nor prevent other passengers from bringing food items containing allergens on board,” the spokesperson explained.
“Due to the insistent behaviour of the passenger to others on board that they should not consume nuts, the captain decided it would be safest if the family did not travel on our flight.”
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The situation allegedly continued to escalate.
According to the airline, the family was unhappy with this solution. “When this was explained to the passenger, he did exhibit aggressive behaviour towards our crew members, and tried to gain access to the cockpit. To ensure the safety of our crew and our passengers on board, we cannot tolerate aggressive and unruly behaviour on our flights,” a representative stated.
The airline added that all special requests must be made within 48 hours of a flight’s departure. Palmer’s family allegedly made no special requests.
But the father disputes the airline’s account and told the Daily Mail
“at no point did I behave aggressively towards any of the crew.”
