Grandmother banned from Easyjet flight after 'touching flight attendant's arm'

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A grandmother has told how she was refused permission to board her Easyjet flight home from Spain after "touching a flight attendant's arm to get her attention".

Janet Kirby, 62, says she was stranded in Spain after being stopped at the gate at Murcia Airport - where she was waiting to fly home from a holiday in Alfaix, Mojacar, with her sister, Carol - and told her luggage would not fit the overhead lockers.

She was told her bag would have to be put in the hold but, when she saw other passengers boarding with even bigger bags, she attempted to get the female flight attendant's attention after being repeatedly ignored.

According to the Daily Telegraph, she said: "I tried to get [the flight attendant's] attention by touching her arm and she said, 'Do not touch me. You are not flying'."

The airline saw it differently, and accused Mrs Kirby of assaulting the staff member by twisting her arm, reports the Daily Mail.

A supervisor was called and confirmed Mrs Kirby was not allowed to board that flight - or any other Easyjet service for that matter.

Mrs Kirby added: "I couldn't believe it. To be accused of assaulting somebody just for touching them is absolutely ludicrous.

"They said I was banned from using Easyjet ever again."

The women finally flew back to England on Wednesday night with Ryanair.

Easyjet issued a statement to a local paper that said police witnessed what happened and backed their action.

It said: "The customer was declined travel following a confrontation with a staff member.The decision was supported by police who witnessed the incident."

Easyjet insists the reports that Mrs Kirby was given a lifetime ban are incorrect.

The airline said Mrs Kirby is welcome on future flights, including the ones she has booked with them to Florence next year.

A spokesman for the airline told the Daily Mail: "The customer has not been banned for life or from any future flights."

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