Family accused of wheeling ‘dead grandmother’ onto EasyJet flight

Oh dear...

It is understood that a group of five relatives were seen helping their 89-year-old grandmother board the flight from Spain back to Gatwick Airport. Witnesses claim they overheard the family telling cabin crew that she was just unwell and had fallen asleep.

However, the plane was turned around on the runway after cabin crew were alerted that the woman had died, causing a 12-hour delay.

EasyJet has since said the claims were unfounded and explained that the woman had a fit-to-fly certificate and was, in fact, alive before boarding the flight.

Passengers claimed a member of staff asked about the woman's health before boarding the flight, but the family insisted their grandmother was 'just tired'.

The plane was taxiing to the runway when it suddenly stopped just before take-off after cabin crew discovered the woman had died, witnesses claimed, per Metro.

Several passengers took to social media to share their reaction.

Petra Boddington, one of the passengers, shared a video on Facebook explaining what she witnessed, claiming she saw the woman ‘slumped unconscious in a wheelchair’.

"EasyJet, when did you start letting dead people onto planes?" she said.

"EasyJet ground staff actually allowed someone who looked completely dead onto the plane and then, funnily enough, just as we were about to take off, they died."

She went on to say that the airline typically would deny people from flying if they were too drunk, 'but apparently it’s okay if you’re dead and you look dead’.

She also claims hearing the family tell ground staff that their grandmother was ‘absolutely fine’

"She was not absolutely fine," Petra continued.

"So, easyjet, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Your ground staff were awful today."

Details about the woman and her family after her body was taken off the plane remain unknown.

However, it is believed no arrests were made.

The flight was scheduled to leave Malaga at 11.15 am on Friday and was expected to land at 1.10 pm.

However, due to the incident, passengers were forced to wait approximately 12 hours as the flight did not depart until 10.47 pm local time before landing at Gatwick at midnight, per Metro.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Malaga confirmed that officers were called to the plane due to an elderly British woman.

They said: "She was pronounced dead on the aircraft, which had been due to leave Malaga for London just after 11 am yesterday.

"She was permitted to fly because she had a medical ‘fit to fly’ certificate and was being supported by medical personnel during her journey."

A spokesperson for easyJet said: "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the customer who sadly passed away, and we are offering support and assistance at this difficult time.

"She was permitted to fly because she had a medical “fit to fly” certificate and was being supported by medical personnel during her journey.

"It was only after boarding the customer that she was required medical assistance, and she sadly passed away.

"The well-being of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority, and we would ask customers for their understanding in these circumstances."