Autistic boy, 6, 'refused entry' to Ryanair flight after 'meltdown' as mum claims

Emma Poulton has vowed to never fly with Ryanair after the airline allegedly refused to let her autistic son travel

A Walsall mum claims her family missed out on a "much-needed" holiday after Ryanair staff 'refused' to let her six-year-old autistic son board the plane. Emma Poulton said a 'lack of compassion' led to her son being denied entry onto the Fuerteventura-bound flight from Birmingham Airport because he was 'too distressed to fly'.

Emma says she pleaded with Ryanair staff to allow her son Kason, an "anxious" traveller due to his autism, to board the plane on Wednesday, 11 September. Ryanair refuted these claims, stating the passenger was not 'refused entry' but instead 'became distressed at the boarding gate and themselves refused to board the aircraft.'

The airline added: "This passenger did not calm and as a result, the decision was made that he would not travel on this flight." Emma criticised the airline for a "lack of patience and understanding" and has vowed to "never" fly with Ryanair again.

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Emma claims her family were denied entry to the flight and forced to return home, missing out on their first holiday since their eldest son was forced to "learn to walk again" after contracting pneumonia. "I'm absolutely fuming," Emma Poulton told BirminghamLive.

"I feel like my son has been discriminated against because of his disability. When we got to the airport, Kason expressed that he was feeling a bit anxious about flying. To their credit, the assisted travel staff at Birmingham Airport were absolutely fantastic and managed to get us through the fast-track to relieve some of his anxiety.

"But when Ryanair staff saw my son was having a bit of a meltdown, they immediately decided to refuse him entry onto the plane. They didn’t even give us the opportunity to get him settled on the plane, where I could have calmed him down with his toys and iPad.

"A little bit more patience and understanding and this issue could’ve been resolved, but they took one look at him and said ‘no’. There was no attempt to cater to his needs."

Emma, Kason, and his 20-year-old sister were due to fly from BHX to Fuerteventura on Wednesday, 11 September. It would’ve been the first time the family had gone on holiday since Emma’s eldest son was admitted to hospital with pneumonia - a "difficult" time for the family.

Their misery was compounded when they were told that Emma’s eldest daughter would not be able to travel to Fuerteventura on her own with the family’s luggage, as it was checked in under Emma’s name. Emma says the experience has left her uncertain about travelling abroad with her family again.

"If Kason had been in a wheelchair and couldn’t get onto the plane because of a physical disability, there would have been a lot more understanding,” she claimed. “But because he has a mental disorder that was poorly understood by staff, we’ve not been able to go on holiday.

"Staff need more training to understand the needs of autistic passengers. There was a complete lack of understanding, compassion, and patience. We definitely won’t be flying with Ryanair ever again."

When approached, a spokesperson for Ryanair said: "This passenger was not “refused entry” onto this flight from Birmingham to Fuerteventura (September 11). This passenger became distressed at the boarding gate and themselves refused to board the aircraft. Despite gate staff’s efforts to diffuse the situation, this passenger did not calm and as a result, the decision was made that he would not travel on this flight.

Gate staff advised this passenger’s mother that they could speak to a Ryanair Customer Service rep at Birmingham Airport, to avail of their options of either a free move to an alternative flight or a full refund. Unfortunately, they did not present at Ryanair’s Customer Service desk at Birmingham Airport that day, nor have we received any other contact from these passengers to date (September 13).”