We could be wrong but when coming to the aid of another passenger who has become ill during a flight, one wouldn’t then be expected to pay for a measly chocolate bar – would we?
This actually happened to a retired GP, who helped a sick passenger during a flight from Luton to Greece. Dr. Edward Southall was provided with a free cup of coffee, but upon requesting a KitKat (for a well-deserved break) he was then charged the sum of £1.20. Dr. Southall was informed that whilst the cup of coffee was complimentary for the trouble he had put himself to; the KitKat would not be free of charge.
Dr Edward Southall explained he heard the plane would possibly be diverted, so that an elderly female passenger suffering from breathing difficulties could be taken to hospital, and so he stepped up and went to her aid. Using the emergency kit on board, Dr. Southall maintained regular checks on the Greek woman’s blood pressure and pulse, and assessed her condition. Dr. Southall said, “She was very pale and sweating, and appeared breathless and distressed.” By monitoring the woman’s condition and ensuring she was stable, the flight EZY5091 from the UK to Thessaloniki was able to continue on it’s flight without the need to make an emergency landing, and thus saving the airline from thousands in emergency landing costs.
Following the flight, Dr. Southall made a complaint to EasyJet regarding his meager treatment, at which point he was offered one free piece of hand luggage one way, on his next EasyJet trip. The value of this amounts to £20! Upon further complaints, EasyJet responded saying, “We adhere to our policy.”
Dr. Southall later explained he was not interested in a free KitKat or luggage, as it was more the principle of how much money his goodwill had saved the company. His complaints eventually paid off, as bosses at EasyJet agreed they had not got it right, and have now offered Dr. Southall a free flight.
It must be noted that EasyJet stated: “Although on this occasion a diversion was unlikely, EasyJet is grateful for the assistance Dr. Southall provided to our crew and to all the doctors and medical professionals who assist passengers on board each year.
We are sorry we didn’t get it right on this occasion and would like to offer Dr. Southall a free flight as a gesture of goodwill.”
…. A bit cheeky we think.
You must be logged in to post a comment.