Argentinian airline ‘boots British trainee teacher, 20, off £200 internal flight because she has a NUT ALLERGY’ – forcing her to get 1,100-mile bus ride
- Meleri Williams told Aerolineas Argentinas staff about allergy during boarding
- Instead of stopping serving nuts on board, ‘they ordered the student to leave’
- Miss Williams, from Hendy in Carmarthenshire, got 26-hour bus journey instead
An Argentinian airline kicked a young British passenger off a flight – because she had a severe nut allergy, it has been claimed.
Trainee teacher Meleri Williams, 20, was boarding a flight from Buenos Aires when she told staff about her allergy as she normally does on jet flights.
But instead of stopping serving nuts on board, staff from airline Aerolineas Argentinas are said to have ordered Ms Williams to leave the aircraft before take-off.
Trainee teacher Meleri Williams, 20, (pictured) was boarding a flight from Buenos Aires when she told staff about her allergy as she normally does on jet flights
The Cardiff University student – who was due to start volunteering at a primary school 1,100 miles away – was left ‘shocked’.
She said: ‘My allergy is very severe and could lead to anaphylactic shock where my airways could close up and I could potentially die.
‘I do carry an Epipen but did not want to put myself in a position where there was a high risk and I could suffer from an allergic reaction midflight.
‘I explained that I could develop an anaphylactic shock if I was in an enclosed environment where nuts are consumed, but they didn’t seem to understand.
‘The only food they had for their passengers was packets of dried fruit and nuts. They said that it would affect a greater number of people if nuts wouldn’t be served.
‘There was a lot of fuss, I was very upset by the end I must say and then having to just walk away was awful. It was very distressing trying to explain everything.’
Miss Williams, from Hendy in Carmarthenshire, was due to fly on the two and a half hour flight costing £200 to Esquel in Patagonia.
But she instead had a 26-hour bus journey to go the 1,150 miles to reach the school.
The Cardiff University student – who was due to start volunteering at a primary school 1,100 miles away – was left ‘shocked’ by the ban. Pictured: A file photo of an Aerolineas Argentinas plane
On the journey home, Miss Williams tried to book with Argentina’s largest airline again – but it is claimed she was met with the same response.
She said: ‘We tried booking another flight and thought maybe if we gave them a warning it would be ok, but once again, they said it would be impossible.’
Miss Williams claims she is yet to receive any response from the airline to her complaint.
The airline based in Buenos Aires has so far not responded to a request for a comment.