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“On Saturday, Turkish Airlines “I decided I was not fit to fly,” writes Mark Mardell, former BBC newsnight The political editor, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, says: “Be assured I was not drunk, violent or even late. No, my sin was having Parkinson’s.
“I was flying there istanbul To Gatwick. Check-in was done, bags went down, but before I could get past security, I was removed from the flight.
“Apparently, Turkish Airlines has decided that people with Parkinson’s are a danger to themselves or others.”
Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and can cause tremors. Mr Mardell is also a presenter jeremy paxman and award-winning other media personalities living with Parkinson’s Movers and Shakers podcast.
He describes his experience at the hands of Turkish Airlines at Istanbul Airport, the carrier’s main base. The ground staff insisted that he needed a report from his doctor stating: “There is no harm in traveling by plane.”
The broadcaster has traveled extensively while living with Parkinson’s. His experience was made even worse by having to spend seven hours at the airport trying to retrieve his checked luggage. Then they booked a hotel and flew home the next day Wizz Airwithout any problems.
Independent Turkish Airlines has been contacted for comment on the incident, and more broadly, on its policy of requiring a doctor’s report from people with Parkinson’s or autism.
How widespread are such demands – and why are airlines so concerned about passengers’ health? These are the main questions and answers.
Why do airlines need to know about a passenger’s medical history?
All airlines want to know: Does this person present any potential problems for other passengers and crew? Risks include a person who is intoxicated, has an infectious disease, or appears to be in such poor health that medical care may be necessary.
Airlines want to identify any potential conditions that could be made worse by flying. These include:
- unstable cardiac or pulmonary (heart or lung) conditions
- Recent surgery, which may trap an air sac in the body that expands during flight
- Wearing a cast on a fracture: Low cabin pressure can cause extremely painful swelling until the plaster bursts
- usually being more than 28 weeks pregnant
Surely if someone is sick, pilots can simply divert?
Yes, and they always do this when life is in danger. But divergence could prove extremely disruptive and costly. For example, in April, British Airways flight from Bahamas to London Diverted to Newfoundland due to a medical emergency, but could only reach Iceland before the crew reached their legal limit and were “out of hours”. Passengers remained stranded until BA flew a special flight to take new pilots and cabin crew to Reykjavik.
Medical diversion appears to be becoming more common among European and North American airlines. There are three reasons for this:
- The average age of air travelers is increasing, increasing the likelihood of poor health
- Carriers are using larger aircraft; With more people on board, the greater the chance of someone falling ill
- Ultra-longhaul flights are more frequent, during which passengers are more likely to fall ill
Carriers want to know all relevant health information to protect the person’s health and the plans of other passengers.
What risks might flying pose to someone with Parkinson’s disease?
It is difficult to see how people living with this condition could be a danger to themselves or others. Mr Mardell is unaware of any such request being made by any other airline.
Parkinson’s UK, which represents people living with the condition, does not indicate any problems for the traveller. The organization says: “It’s important to drink plenty of fluids during a flight, so you don’t become dehydrated. This is especially important if you have low blood pressure.”
“If cabin crew know you have Parkinson’s, they may make sure to serve you drinks throughout the flight.”
What does Turkish Airlines ask for?
The carrier clarifies on its website that passengers with Parkinson’s require a doctor’s report containing “a statement specifying that the passenger may travel accompanied or alone”.
The report must be in Turkish or English and received at least 10 days before the flight. It should contain the doctor’s name, surname, diploma number and signature and the phrase: “There is no harm in traveling by plane.”
People with autism who are traveling alone must also show “a doctor’s note stating that they can travel by plane unaccompanied”.
Like Mr. Mardell, Independent There is no information about other airlines imposing similar conditions.
To its credit, Turkish Airlines, most unusually, offers discounts to passengers with disabilities. Turkish citizens who are members of the “Miles & Smiles” frequent-flyer scheme receive a 20 percent discount on domestic flights and a 25 percent discount on international flights.
The carrier adds: “Passengers who are not citizens of the Republic of Turkey can take advantage of the discount by presenting at the sales office a certificate of disability issued by the official authorities of the country of their citizenship.”
what happens next?
Mr Mardell has asked Turkish Airlines for an explanation of his unusual requirement. The carrier has contacted them via social media and said it is investigating the incident. He has also complained about his treatment Civil Aviation Authority,
Could airlines be more curious about a passenger’s health?
I believe so, At least in relation to elderly passengers on long flightsThe Civil Aviation Authority says: “The majority of in-flight emergencies occur in situations where a person’s medical condition is not known to the airline.”
Many such cases involve older passengers. It may be that airlines will require anyone over a certain age, possibly over 80, to complete a medical questionnaire before allowing them to board a long-haul flight.