Family kicked off flight over son’s insect bites despite doctor’s approval

A family was banned from boarding their flight after British Airways staff became suspicious of insect bites on their baby's leg, according to a report from SWNS.

Expat Jonathan Arthur, 34, and his wife Xun Sun, 35, were flying from Shanghai Pudong Airport to London Heathrow for a family wedding. 

They noticed some insect bites on their 1-year-old son Joseph’s leg as they approached the boarding gate and asked airline staff where they could buy some allergy medication, just in case.

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When the staff at the boarding gate saw the bites and heard the family talking about allergy medication, they became concerned, the report stated.

"They asked loads of questions after they saw the bites, and so we told them about his mild peanut allergy," said Jonathan Arthur. "The medical staff at the airport said to apply some ointment and wait 10 minutes, which we were happy to do. But the BA staff said we needed to call their medical advice line. They thought his peanut allergy was the cause — so they didn’t want to take the risk."

A family was banned from boarding their flight after British Airways staff became suspicious of insect bites on their baby's leg. (iStock)

The family also sent photos to an online doctor, who confirmed they were insect bites but recommended administering some antihistamines to help with the swelling.

The baby's bites were no larger than 1 cm in diameter and disappeared within 10 to 15 minutes after applying the bite cream, causing him no further discomfort, as stated by SWNS.

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"It was nothing more than swollen bites," said Jonathan Arthur.

The baby's bites were no larger than 1 cm in diameter and disappeared within 10 to 15 minutes after applying the bite cream, causing him no further discomfort, per the report. (SWNS)

Despite the fact that the baby's bites were already starting to subside, the airline said the family wouldn’t be allowed to board without a "fit to fly" letter from a doctor.

The Arthurs were escorted away from the gate, "feeling like criminals," according to the SWNS report. They rebooked with another airline that did not require a medical letter.

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"We were treated like we had done something wrong," said Jonathan Arthur, per the SWNS report.

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In a statement to Fox News Digital, British Airways stated, "We take the safety and well-being of our customers very seriously and do everything we can to support them when issues like this arise. This includes accessing specialist medical advice to assess an individual's suitability to travel, which is what happened in this case."

"Whilst we appreciate our customer was disappointed with this decision, we never compromise passenger safety."

Despite the family’s assurances that the rash was unrelated to allergy, the airline insisted they wouldn’t be allowed to board without a "fit to fly" letter from a doctor. (SWNS)

Jonathan and Xun Arthur are now in contact with British Airways and their third-party booking agency to claim a refund for the disrupted travel. 

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"I find it strange that someone else in a different country can speak to an airport staff member who isn't a medical professional, and diagnose and refuse boarding, without seeing the rash," Jonathan Arthur added. 

"When you pay for a service, you expect to be treated like a customer, not like a hindrance."