A young couple has slammed Emirates Airlines, claiming they were removed from an international flight to Dubai after a cabin crew member overheard the woman complaining of period pain.
Usually when airline passengers are kicked off a plane it’s usually for bad behaviour, but for Beth Evans and Josh Moran, their trip from Birmingham to Dubai was ruined by her period pain.
The British couple claim that flight attendants expressed concerns that the seven-hour journey could pose a risk to her health.
While many women can experience debilitating period pain, the 24-year-old said hers was mild.
Beth Evans, 24, and Josh Moran, 26, had to rebook their flight from Birmingham to Dubai after the incident. Credit: Facebook/Josh Moran
“It’s insane to be fired for having period pain,” Moran told The Sun.
“Beth was in tears and upset when the hostess was questioning her. It’s embarrassing to have to explain period pain while being overheard.”
Barber, 26, added that the crew did not provide medical assistance to the pair before asking them to disembark.
“Nobody examined her… They just contacted the US medical team and said Beth couldn’t fly,” he added.
The couple also claim they had to pay an additional fee – about $450 – to rebook their flight, on top of the $700 they paid for the original booking.
An Emirates spokesman said the airline was acting in Mr Evans’ best interests.
The couple allege that an Emirates flight attendant raised the alarm after overhearing Evans’ complaints. Credit: Getty Images
“The passenger advised crew that he was experiencing discomfort, pain and was feeling unwell,” the spokesman said.
“The captain requested medical assistance and made the decision to disembark Ms Evans so that she could receive medical assistance.
“If Ms Evans’ condition had worsened during the flight, we did not want to put her at risk by delaying medical assistance.”
Neither Moran nor the airline have yet to respond to Yahoo Lifestyle’s requests for comment.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says airlines “have the right to deny boarding to passengers whose symptoms worsen or who are at risk of serious consequences during the flight”.
This includes any symptoms that may be “worsened” during air travel.
Yahoo7 News has reached out to Emirates for comment.