Easyjet charges man £50 to take dialysis machine on flight

PA

Easyjet has apologised after charging a man £50 to take his dialysis machine on board a flight.

Andrew Williamson, 44, from Devon, was charged a £50 excess baggage fee to take his 22kg medical equipment on board the flight from Bristol Airport to Grenoble.

He told the BBC: "I have to pay an extra £50 for the privilege of being alive.

"They [Easyjet] called me and I said I needed to take this machine. It weighs about 20kg and she said, 'that's fine, but it will cost you £50'.

"It's just not fair. I feel I'm being discriminated against. I'm not choosing to take this machine, I have to."

As well as apologising and refunding the £50, Easyjet have also since updated its policy to ensure that "vital medical equipment" can now be carried "free of charge".

In a statement to the BBC, Easyjet said: "We apologise for any distress or inconvenience that Mr Williamson experienced.

"The £50 was charged in error and has been refunded in full."

Mr Williamson said the policy change was "fantastic" but reiterated that it should "never have been an issue".

Easyjet made the headlines earlier this month, when a 14-year-old girl from Belfast who was on a school trip in England was banned from her flight home after she lost her boarding card - after checking in.

Frances Wilson was set to fly back from Gatwick to Belfast International, but realised she had lost her boarding card after having it at check in.

The airline said there was not enough time to re-issue another boarding card before the flight's departure, so Frances and a teacher had to stay another night in London, and fly home the next day with Flybe.

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