Terrified travellers have alleged that an elderly British passenger was pushed onboard an easyJet flight from Malaga, Spain, to Gatwick while she was already dead.
The 89-year-old woman was allegedly brought onto the aircraft on Thursday by five members of her family, who, according to other passengers, informed airline workers that she was simply feeling unwell.
But before the jet could take off, flight attendants noticed the woman had died, passengers claimed. The plane was then redirected back to the terminal, and the flight was delayed for 12 hours.
The Malaga Civil Guard confirmed that a woman on the flight had died just after 11am. The flight was scheduled to leave at 11:15am.
Petra Boddington said in a TikTok video: “She really looked dead, in a chair being wheeled by her family and apparently her family said she was absolutely fine.
@menopausewithpetra Easyjet! What were your ground staff thinking today? They asked the family five times if this woman was ok… she was clearly not ok! To the naked eye she looked like she was already dead, slumped unconscious in a wheelchair, so why would she be allowed on to the flight and then disrupt everyone’s plans… purely to save the family repatriation?!? If I was drunk they wouldn’t let me on.. but apparently dead is ok?! EasyJet what’s going on? Disgusting and prepare yourselves for the refunds and complaints coming! Flight now rescheduled from 11:15 to 21:30? How does that work for everyone involved?
♬ original sound - menopausewithpetra
“She was not absolutely fine. Everybody that she went past went ‘oh my god she looks dead’.”
Tracy-Ann Kitching wrote on Facebook: “I saw her wheeled onto the plane; someone was holding her head as they went past me. An actual doctor on board [confirmed] she was already dead when they put her in her seat.”
She commended the co-pilot who she said was very “patient” and answered passengers’ questions.
A Malaga Civil Guard spokesperson told The Sun: “She was pronounced dead on the aircraft which had been due to leave Malaga for London just after 11am yesterday morning.
“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 personal during her journey.
“It was only after boarding that the customer then required medical assistance and she sadly passed away.”
EasyJet told The Sun the claims weren’t true and the woman was alive and had a fit to fly certificate when she boarded the flight.
The Standard has contacted the airline for comment.
A spokesperson for the budget airline told The Mirror: “Flight EZY8070 from Malaga to London Gatwick returned to stand prior to departure due to a customer onboard requiring urgent medical assistance.”
