A paralysed teenager and his family have won £1,500 compensation after their dream Disney holiday to the US ended in disaster.
Quadriplegic Leon Mason, 15, was forced to sleep across seats in an airport terminal lounge after the flight home from Florida was turned around when crew and passengers fell ill.
The family of eight say their ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ holiday to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando was ‘horrific’ because of their the 24-hour airport ordeal.
Leon’s father, David, said: ‘It was a terrible experience. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for my son. He’ll never be able to go again.’
Quadriplegic Leon Mason, 15, has won £1,500 compensation after he was forced to sleep across seats in an airport lounge when his flight home from Florida turned back
The family of eight – including Leon’s father, David, and his step-mother, Angela – say their ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ holiday to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando was ruined
Their flight home was turned back when passengers and crew fell ill. Leon was left with just a pillow to support his head while sleeping in the airport terminal waiting for another flight
Leon – who is also epileptic and suffers from a lung condition – was forced to lay across the airport’s seats for 24 hours with only a pillow to support his head while they waited for the next flight home.
Mr Mason is furious at holiday company TUI and claims they initially refused to offer compensation.
He said TUI refused to take responsibility for not accommodating his disabled son in a room overnight.
The 65-year-old said: ‘They just didn’t want to know – when we were in America and back home.
‘I called them after we made it back to the UK to say we had been delayed for 24 hours.
‘They just said it was an act of God.’
Solicitors for the family, from Pontypool, South Wales, threatened the airline with legal action and TUI has now agree to compensate the £1,500 to cover the cost of the flights.
But Mr Mason said: ‘That is just the cost of the flights. That does not cover the level of discomfort and dismay that we have experienced.’
The flight was turned back when passengers and crew fell ill. The family then had to wait 24 hours for another flight
Mr Mason is furious at holiday company TUI and claims they initially refused to offer compensation. Pictured: Staff at the airport when the family’s flight turned back
Coby Benson, a flight delay solicitor at Bott & Co, said TUI ‘flouted’ rules which meant it was obliged to special care to Leon, as well as give the family food, drink and overnight accomodation.
Mr Benson said: ‘The Mason family underwent a horrific ordeal whilst on holiday, only then to face further turmoil on their flight home.
‘Under EU Regulations the airline was obliged to provide food, drink and overnight accommodation to all the passengers involved, and pay particular attention to any passengers with reduced mobility.
Leon and his step-mother, Angela Mason. TUI has apologised to the family
‘The airline flouted these rules, forcing the family to sleep in awful conditions at the airport and fend for themselves.
‘In addition to the obligatory care and assistance, the airline should also have provided each family member with compensation of 600 euros for the long delay they experienced.
‘Thomson continuously ignored correspondence and only finally paid out once specialist solicitors were instructed to issue court proceedings against the airline.’
A TUI UK spokeswoman said: ‘We would like to apologise for any inconvenience as a result of a flight diversion for customers including Mr Mason who travelled on TOM375 back in May 2017.
‘This was as a precautionary measure due to two crew members and a small number of customers who reported feeling unwell.
‘A full investigation was carried out, however, there was no evidence to support that the symptoms were caused by the aircraft.
‘At all times the safety of our customers and crew, which is always our top priority, was maintained.
‘We are unable to comment on any specific cases, however, we can confirm that in this instance due to an administrative error the situation with Mr Mason has been resolved and payment raised.’