Aer Lingus U-turn on pledge to f ly girl home
A SCHOOLGIRL and her teachers were left out of pocket when Aer Lingus reneged on a promise to fly them home for free after taking them off a flight the previous day.
The three were forced off a flight from Malaga to Dublin because the the 14-year-old – who had an allergic reaction to an ice-cream earlier that day – was considered unfit to travel as she did not have an EpiPen. The group were told they would fly free of charge the next day – but instead had to pay €75 each for a new flight. The teachers were then down €500.
Niamh Brodie, from Munterconnaught in Cavan, was on a trip to Spain with the Eureka convent school in Kells, Co. Meath.
She ate the ice-cream ‘which contains traces of nuts in it – something none of us knew’, said teacher Stephen McKee. Although the group had two EpiPens, one was out of date, leaving them with nothing for the flight home. Aer Lingus staff were informed what had happened at check-in. However some 15 minutes after taking their seats, they were told Niamh couldn’t fly.
An Aer Lingus spokesperson said: ‘We appreciate the group were misinformed at check-in… but the student was considered unfit to travel.’ The airline said it would refund €225 in fees and, ‘as a gesture of goodwill, the expenses incurred’.