Steven Lyon and Maura had boarded an easyJet flight from Glasgow to Mallorca, Spain, when their two-year-old Zara became unresponsive, saying there was no oxygen available on their aircraft
A mum and dad have slammed easyJet after they were given an ’empty’ oxygen tank when their daughter became unresponsive on a flight.
Steven Lyon, 32, and Maura, 34, from Glasgow, were on their way to Palma de Mallorca when their daughter, Zara, suddenly began to “shake”. Maura, who happens to be a paediatric intensive care nurse, noticed the signs of a seisure so quickly took action. Little Zara, aged two, was tended to by a doctor who was also on the flight on September 14. But when the crew handed over the oxygen tank, they discovered nothing was even in it.
Luckily, the “terrifying” moment happened during the plane’s descent, which meant there was just enough time for medics on the ground to reach Zara. Steven has called out the airline after they reportedly ignored their complaint for months. Speaking about the ordeal, the dad said: “When we were descending, we were talking to her, and it looked like she wasn’t there.
“She became unresponsive and started shaking. I was in shock. It was a terrifying moment. My partner knew the signs to look out for and knew what she needed to do, but even she was panicked. The crew brought over the oxygen tank, but my partner and the doctor noticed it was empty. He threw it away and called it a disgrace.
“We had to just put her in the recovery position and wait till we landed for paramedics to get on board and give her oxygen. We were lucky we were coming into the land because if it had taken longer to stabilise her, she might have become brain damaged or died.”
Zara, who had never had a seizure before, spent two days in a Majorca hospital before being released, reports Glasgow Live. Assessment by medics suggested the episode was caused by an ear infection which burst during the pressure change of the descent. Following the horror plane journey, the parents complained to easyJet over the lack of onboard first aid kit, which they say put their daughter’s life at risk.
However, they have since raised a formal complaint and are considering legal action after being left angered by the airline’s response to the incident. Steven continued: “We initially complained to easyjet with the aim of making sure this never happened again. Oxygen is vital for someone having a seizure, and the result of not having it could be a lot worse than what happened to our daughter. If they had admitted there was a lack of first aid and put processes in place, we would have left it. But when we lodged a formal complaint, easyJet repeatedly delayed their response by months, and when they finally did respond, their version of events was inaccurate and contradicted by multiple witnesses.
“They were even telling us that there was more oxygen on board and we should have asked for it, but no replacement was offered. The onboard medical kit provided was useless. There were no appropriate medications for children or anyone who may have been suffering from a seizure. We believe easyJet’s failure to provide working medical equipment and basic first aid put Zara’s life at risk.”
The family say their request for maintenance logs for the oxygen equipment, crew training records, and an un-redacted version of their investigation was refused. A spokesperson for easyJet said: “We fully appreciate what a worrying situation this will have been for the family. Our crew acted swiftly to help provide medical assistance, alongside a doctor on board, in line with procedures.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our highest priority and are fully compliant with industry safety regulations. The first aid kits that we carry onboard our aircraft are above and beyond UK CAA requirements and all of easyJet’s Cabin Crew are regularly trained to carry out first aid in accordance with all relevant industry regulations.”