easyJet and my broken arm

by **rehodnett** on Tue Mar 31, 2009 17:59 pm

This is about easyjet and the way they treated me whilst travelling with them recently:

I have had not much luck in getting a decent response from them - having sent 4-5 letters and emails to their customer services department, and all senior members of management. I have had replies to my emails but they always seem to skip past the crucial points - and ultimately in effect unfairly lay the blame on me.

In short - I broke my arm on a snowboarding holiday, and when I came to check in at Lyon airport I was forced to remove my cast completely (with a stanley knife borrowed from a newsagent) whilst the check-in members of staff were very rude, obnoxious and seemed to find the whole situation very funny. These staff members broke easyJet's regulations which state “Passengers travelling with a plaster cast that has been ****** for less than 48 hours then the cast needs to be split (the split need to run along the entire length of the cast) If the plaster cast been ****** for more than 48 hours there is no requirement for the cast to be split.” (http://www.easyjet.com/EN/Book/regulations.html)

Unfortunately for me my medical certificate did not show the time my cast was ****** – just the date. My cast had been on for over 52 hours, and even though I asked if the supervisor could make a simple phone call to the hospital (using my phone) to clarify this, she refused and told me that the only way I could board my flight was by entirely removing my cast. I was left with a broken, unsupported limb - no medical help was offered nor available when I asked for help.

Making me cut my cast off breaks their regulations completely – and their duty of care towards me as a passenger. These regulations are there to protect passengers – but this member of staff’s incompetence could have rendered my arm paralysed. If this appalling attitude continues then I feel that another passenger may not be as fortunate as I was to escape serious injury.

I think that the general public need to know about these regulations - and the consequences of being so unfortunate to have a completely inept member of staff serve you at the check in - there must be hundreds of people a year who break limbs whilst skiing/snowboarding who aren't aware of these policies. I also think easyJet need to learn that if they had given me a little courtesy and respect in replying properly to my letters and emails and giving this matter some consideration I wouldn't be making this matter public now.

Rachael

by **manc_steve** on Tue Mar 31, 2009 19:45 pm

Something similar happened to me with thompson a couple of years back. I was attacked a couple of weeks before I went on my holidays and they broke my wrist in 2 places, I rang customer service to check I could fly and was told yes as long the cast had been on longer than 48 hours. I was fine flying out from the UK, but on my return I was boarding the plane and one of the cabin crew stopped me there was a que of people building at the door as she stopped me in the doorway so no one could get passed and spoke to me like dirt asking me the in and outs of how and why I had a cast on and how long it had been on for. I told her it had been at that stage 4 weeks, she for some reason didnt believe me and told me that if anything happens it's not there fault as they have warned me of the implications.

So although my storey is not as bad as your I don't think it is just easyjet. I think you will get these as I call them Jobsworths in all companies who like to make themselves out to be important.

Steve

by **HW tenpin** on Tue Mar 31, 2009 22:10 pm

You don’t think it has got something to do with the swelling of limbs in some cases during a pressurized flight.

I maybe wrong but the said limb shrinks somewhat after 48 hrs after cast is put on.

by **rehodnett** on Wed Apr 01, 2009 05:08 am

Yes it is - which is why they are meant to make you slit the cast (you still have the support of the cast there) but not remove it completely.

by **HW John** on Wed Apr 01, 2009 14:32 pm

Rachel, sorry to hear about the unfortunate mishap

Im guessing it would have to be in writing which could take some time to receive and cause a delay/missed flight for you, which would then incur another cost to you for missed departure.

Why they wanted it totally removed is beyond me as a complete cut is sufficient. Ive never heard of this before after being in the aviation industry since i was 16.

Any type of support or bandage would be needed from a first aider although there are limited supplies carried so theres no guarantee it could be helped.
However if it was me checking you in then id have at least tried to make you as comfortable as possible should what they say have been correct.

If easyjet dont self handle in lyon, then your complaint needs to be aimed at their handling agent. Im unsure who it actually was..although your bag tag will have name on.

Easyjet have a duty by law to reply to all complaints within 28 days (even if its just that they are looking into it) Unofficially if you want a faster reply then threaten them with legal action

On and tenpin, yes your completely right