TWO brothers were kicked off their connecting flight after the airline they were due to fly with refused to stop serving nuts, despite the fact that one of them has a deadly nut allergy.
The teens, aged 15 and 16, had already completed part of their journey when they were forced to return home.
The teenagers were travelling from Atlanta to Manila in the Philippines by themselves after visiting their sick grandfather in the US.
Their father, Rakesh Patel, told Channel 2 Action News how the first leg of their journey from Atlanta to Seoul with Delta went smoothly.
However, on their onward flight to Manila, they switched to Delta’s code-share partners Korean Air and that’s where the issue arose.
Their mum told No Nut Traveler that her eldest son had explained to the gate agent that he had a severe peanut and tree nuts allergy, which can be triggered if people are eating nuts around him.
The boy is said to have asked the airline not to serve nuts, and for the crew to ask other passengers not to eat nuts around him.
He also requested to board the plane early so that he could clean his seat.
According to the mother, the boys managed to board early and had already settled down when the flight attendant then told them the airline would be serving peanuts after all.
She said: “He kept trying to make them understand that serving peanuts around him could put his life at risk because he could go into anaphylaxis shock (sic).
“They did not budge and gave our boys only 2 options…. either stay on the plane while they serve peanuts to the other passengers or get out of the plane.
“The boys tried to provide different options like not serving it around them or moving them to an empty section of the plane.”
Despite the teens offering to wear a mask on the flight just so they could get home, Korean Air told them they “had to get off the plane”.
The boys were said to have been “physically” removed from the plane, with the crew grabbing them to get them off the flight.
The incident left them stranded at the airport in South Korea on their own.
AFP – Getty
While Rakesh and his wife tried to speak to the crew over FaceTime, the crew were said to have “laughed” at them before leaving the boys at the airport.
Finally, the teens were forced to return to Atlanta with Delta, having travelled for 39 hours by the end of the ordeal.
The family said in an interview with Channel 2 Action News: “It’s not easy being in that position when you are so far away from your kids.”
They have now filed a complaint asking for a refund and compensation, saying partner airlines need to have “the same policies”.
Delta Airlines told Sun Online Travel: “We’re sorry for this family’s ordeal, particularly during what is already a difficult time for them.
“Delta and our partner Korean Air are communicating with the family and examining the processes surrounding this incident; we will use our findings in our work to create a consistent experience for customers flying Delta and our partner airlines.”
Korean Air said in a statement to the news channel: “Korean Air has apologised to Mr and Mrs. Patel and their sons.
“Customer service is a mainstay of the Delta and Korean Air partnership and we regret that the Patel’s experience did not reflect our common values.
“That is not our style and we can and will do better.”
A young woman was forced to sit in the bathroom of the plane after an airline refused to stop serving nuts, Sun Online Travel previously reported.
Despite written proof they would not serve nuts, Laura Perry from East Sussex was only given a mask to wear when they served almond slices.
Sun Online Travel has contacted Korean Air for comment.
