Budget airline charges for medical emergency
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Jet2.com is an airline that says it will fly you to exotic holiday destinations for less than £20. It claims to offer "friendly low fares" but while they might be low, it's questionable how friendly they are.
One couple say that Jet2.com has got more front than their home town of Blackpool after the airline sent them a bill for thousands of pounds.
Clare and John O'Brien booked flights with Jet2.com in February for a two-week break in Tenerife - the first holiday they'd had in three years.
"John had had some health problems so we waited until he'd had been discharged from the hospital even though all the consultants told us there was no reason we shouldn't travel by air. But we just decided to wait until everything was clear," Clare told us.
They both had a lovely holiday, eating out and topping up their tans. It was perfect - until the flight home. They'd been in the air for about two and a half hours when suddenly John fell ill and collapsed. The flight attendants gave him oxygen and found a doctor who was on board. Clare told him about her husband's previous medical history.
John was given aspirin and the pilot came out and told the doctor that he was in a good place to divert the plane if need be. John insisted he was OK but the doctor said that he couldn't guarantee his condition wouldn't deteriorate. The plane was now flying over Spain so the pilot diverted to the nearest airport where John was taken to hospital.
The doctors there suspected that John may have had an epileptic fit and they advised him to see his own doctor when they got back to the UK.
"We went to the doctor the next day and the doctor disagreed with the diagnosis and said it sounds to me like you've just fainted," said Clare.
Surprising letter
Their travel insurance covered the medical bills and replacement flights home. But just when it seemed everything was sorted the O'Brien's received a surprising letter from that 'friendly' airline, Jet2.com. It was a bill for £4,365, for what it said were: 'costs directly associated with medical diversion of flight'.
The O'Briens forwarded it to their insurance company but were told that the airline should be claiming from its own insurance. Jet2.com claimed it was the passenger's responsibility. The company said the bill was perfectly justified because according to them John wasn't fit to fly - even though Watchdog has seen proof from his doctor that he was. Jet2.com has refused to budge and the couple couldn't afford to pay.
Clare was devastated and feared a knock on the door from a debt agency as they were told the matter had to be settled within 30 days. "They should not be causing passengers to feel like we do," she told us.
"I've had sleepless nights, waking up at 4am in the morning. It's certainly put us off ever flying again."
We spoke to James Healey-Pratt, an aviation lawyer, who said he's never heard of an airline behaving in such a way, telling us: "I think it's wrong morally, wrong legally and wrong commercially for Jet2.com to seek to get four and half thousand pounds from the O'Briens for a decision that Jet2 made.
"Where there is a medical diversion the airline bears the cost or the airlines' insurance bears the cost. They do not seek that cost back from the unfortunate passenger who was ill and so to do that here seems to be entirely unique and out of place."
Watchdog contacted Jet2.com who've now apologised to the O'Briens. Crucially the company says it won't now be asking them to foot the bill.
Jet2.com's statement
"Firstly, Jet2.com would like to make an unreserved apology to Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien. It was never our intention that they should personally settle these costs as we believed they should have been covered by their insurance.
"We do appreciate the distress that this situation has caused them and we have taken the decision to cover the O'Briens' costs ourselves. We have reviewed our policy in this regard to ensure that all similar expenses are covered by us now and in the future."
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Surely this still isn't ok as it's protrayed in the program. They attempted to extract the money out of the elderly couple. An apology is insufficient, some compensation is due, and certainly not free flights on the most traumatic airline to fly with.
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I've flown Jet2 many times and never had a problem. It seems a big mistake was made however they are trying to make ammends by offering the couple a free flight - something which wasn't mentioned in the interview.
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Why illustrate a story about airline Jet2.com with a picture of a CityJet/Air France RJ85 aircraft?
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The flip side of this story is that my wife a qualified nurse went to the aid of a passenger on a flight from Cuba last year. She spent all but 45 mins of the flight either on the floor outside the toilets (9 hour flight). She provided medical attention and oxygen to a man with irregular heartbeats and severe dizzy spells. She spoke to a medical support team via a radio phone and as a result of her medical expertise the flight was able to avoid a costly diversion to the Azores only due to the fact she offered to stay with the passenger. On arrival at Manchester the man was taken by ambulance to hospital. Whilst the cabin crew were grateful she received not one word of thanks from the flight crew and not a word of thanks from the airline. She has told me that if a medical problem happens this time I am to keep my hand down. Companies should learn to say sorry and thank you first.
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jet2.com's statement and apology are in stark contrast to a statement on their website which (still) states:
"Aircraft diversions cost HUGE amounts of money, for which under our terms and conditions, our passengers are liable. It always pays to buy travel insurance."
This statement is accompanied by a link to purchase travel insurance from ... you guessed it ... jet2.com
AnonyMick
Bracknell
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We as a family have flown with Jet2.com and found them to be very good, but this beggars belief. Just another 'hidden' clause in the small print and a big fish trying to get money from so called smaller fish. They should remember that if it wasn't for us 'smaller fish', they wouldn't have a business..........Take that on board Jet2.com
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24 hours after the programme was aired & Claire & John have heard absolutely nothing from Jet2 -no call & no letter. This reflects their efficiency!I know,however the relief is immense so Thankyou Watchdog for helping to take the weight off their hands/minds !
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From the outset I will say that I am not a fan of Jet2.com. I think that their (and most other "budget" airlines') policy of having to pay for so many extras is abhorrent.
That said, I do sympathise with their position on this story.
Firstly, Jet2.com have incurred expense because of the medical diversion. This will include landing fees, fuel, staff bills etc. £4,365 does not strike me as a particularly large sum for the cost of an unscheduled landing.
Secondly, John O'Brien was travelling with a known medical condition. It is apparent that he had travel insurance as this covered his medical bills and flight home (i.e. the expenses that he was put to). It would not be unreasonable for Jet2.com to claim their expenses also.
Thirdly, it is not surprising that Jet2.com wrote directly to the O'Briens. It is standard practice following a road traffic accident for the claiming party to write directly to the at fault party, even though the at fault party will have insurance. The claiming party does not expect the at fault party to pay, they will expect his insurance company to pay. The reason for this practice is that the claiming party may not know who the relevant insurance company is. I doubt that Jet2.com knew who the O'Briens were insured with. I would be curious to know whether the covering letter that Jet2.com sent to the O'Briens suggested that they forward the bill to their insurer (as they in fact did).
What I, personally, cannot understand is why the O'Briens' insurance company refused to pay Jet2.com's bill, but suggested they should claim on their own insurance. If anyone is the "villain" it is the O'Briens' insurer, not Jet2.com.
Let's not forget, the O'Briens recovered their expenses that arose as a result of a medical condition that was known to them. Jet2.com, who would have been unaware of John O'Brien's condition, are now out of pocket.
Are Jet2.com not the victim, rather than the villain?
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The airport operator has direct responsibility to ensure Emergency services are provided or have unimpeded access. [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
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I have helped out on numerous flights and like one of the other bloggers said, you get little or no thanks (JMC being a noteable exception who wrote to thank me). It was not the couple's decision to divert, but the pilot and medic control ultimately (from my experience).
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