Boy, 13, with Tourette's marched out of airport and refused BA flight for ‘bomb’ comment
On Saturday (23 May), 13-year-old Mason was set to fly out to Spain with his family.
However, they ended up being refused entry to the British Airways (BA) flight at the gate due to safety risks.
Mason has Tourette syndrome and had shouted out ‘bomb’ several times while they were at London Gatwick Airport. The young lad had been wearing a sunflower lanyard with his diagnosis letter at hand, with it said everything had been going ‘seamlessly’.
But as the situation unfolded with BA, Mason ended up being marched out of the airport by armed police.
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His family, from Harwich in Essex, have spoken out about the experience as they tell LADbible they are ‘shocked at how badly’ it was handled. BA say the refusal was not due to his condition but a 'number of contributing factors'.
Mason’s dad, Martyn, told the BBC that the experience at the airport was ‘horrendous’ and had brought him to tears.
The family had spent £4,000 on the flights for a group of 10 and say they warned BA staff a day before the flight of what Mason may say, as he was anxious about flying.
Tourette syndrome can cause people to make involuntary sounds or movements, known as tics. It does not necessarily imply that the person means the comments they are making.
Tics can be triggered by different things, such as stress, excitement or tiredness.
When the family tried to board the flight, a manager denied them entry as a video of the confrontation shows them saying: “We are not refusing him because he's got a disability.
"We are refusing him because there's been a threat made that he has a bomb in his bag."
Martyn added: “Everyone was in tears because we've been waiting for this holiday for a long time."
He said it was ‘heartbreaking for the poor kid’ to be turned away at the desk.
The family missed the first day of their holiday, with Mason’s parents and one-year-old sister escorted from the airport.
They spent the night in a hotel before paying £2,400 for new flights with Vueling on Sunday.
Mum Gemma told LADbible the captain on this flight was ‘amazing’.
“He announced to the other passengers who were all brilliant and understanding,” she explained.
Gemma says it’s ‘important now more than ever’ to create awareness of Tourette syndrome.
“It’s not behaviour, it’s completely involuntary,” she adds. “With all the awareness being brought forward by Tourettes action and the recent film I Swear, we are shocked to see how badly British Airways handled this. We have many questions that need to be addressed once we are back home.”
A spokesperson for BA said: "This was an extremely difficult, complex and distressing situation. Due to a number of contributing factors, the decision was made not to allow the group to travel on the flight."
Tourettes action statement
CEO for Tourettes Action, Emma McNally, has reacted to this incident, saying in a statement: "Tourette syndrome remains one of the most stigmatised and misunderstood conditions, and that needs to change.
"This family experienced something no one should ever have to go through. After doing everything right, including making the airport aware of their son’s disability, booking assistance, passing through security, and reaching the gate, they were refused boarding because their son involuntarily shouted that he had a bomb.
"This was not behaviour. It was not intent. It was not choice. It was an involuntary tic. It was part of his disability. It was a symptom of his Tourette’s. And yet, they were not allowed to fly. When I heard the news, I felt completely heartbroken for this family. Air travel can already be highly stressful, particularly for families managing a disability, and they should not have had to endure this.
"However, I do not believe this should be about blame or shame. The staff involved were doing what they believed was the right thing at the time. This decision is unlikely to have been made by one individual alone, but rather through existing protocols and processes. I believe the situation arose not from malice, but from a lack of understanding and awareness of Tourette syndrome.
"This is why it’s important that we look beyond this single incident. While it may be easy to place blame at the door of British Airways, the reality is that this issue runs much deeper. The protocols followed across the aviation industry are not currently inclusive enough for people with Tourette syndrome and that must change. I want this to be a moment for progress and change.
"I hope that British Airways will take this opportunity to put things right. I hope they will:
- Offer a sincere apology to the family
- Commit to meaningful Tourette syndrome awareness training for their staff
"More broadly, we need to see a review of aviation protocols to ensure they are inclusive, informed, and able to appropriately support passengers with conditions like Tourette’s. Sadly, situations like this are not rare. Too often, Tourette’s is the condition left behind when it comes to true inclusion.
"The reality is simple, tics are involuntary. They are not beliefs. They are not intent. They are not a choice. That is why our campaign this year is #NoChoice. We must work to ensure situations like this do not happen again. The key to that is education.
"At Tourettes Action, we work with organisations to build understanding, confidence, and inclusion. Our Tourette’s Friendly Scheme helps create environments where people with Tourette’s feel safe, respected, and understood.
"My hope is that something positive can come from this, something that drives meaningful change, and ensures no other family has to go through the same experience. It’s time for all airlines and the wider aviation industry, to commit to becoming truly Tourette’s friendly."
Jess Battison