Jason Bryant, 51, was travelling to Belfast to see a friend when he was asked to hand over his vape pen – and a row ensued with the airline staff
A man was left “devastated” after being denied boarding at Cardiff Airport due to a dispute over his medicinal cannabis vape pen. Jason Bryant, 51, from Caerau, Maesteg, was heading to Belfast to visit a friend and mentioned that he would only use the vape in “extreme circumstances” but he claims he was asked to surrender it during the flight.
Jason suffered a work-related accident in 2016, which led to several long-term physical and mental health issues. He described his condition as “like being in a car crash,” adding: “One day you’re able to do everything and you’re on top of the world and the next you can’t kick a ball with your boy; it’s hard to accept.”
To manage his conditions, Mr Bryant uses medicinal CBD and THC through an imported German vaporiser, reports Wales Online. He emphasised the importance of the device, saying, “I don’t leave the house without it,” and “It’s in my hand, it’s in my pocket, I draw a great deal of strength from just having it. It’s emotional support at the end of the day”.
While at Cardiff Airport on Wednesday, April 24, Mr Bryant found himself in a bit of a pickle while being wheeled to the tarmac. He whipped out his vape in a waiting area and was promptly asked by the crew to surrender it until the captain said otherwise.
Aer Lingus later stated that Mr Bryant was “welcome” on the flight as long as he didn’t vape, though they didn’t confirm if he had to physically hand over the device.
The situation escalated into what Mr Bryant described as a “circus show” causing a 45-minute delay as he dealt with the airline staff through airport personnel. In the end, he chose not to board, leaving him “devastated.”
“I told the gentleman standing there I was not going to use it on board,” he explained, “only in an extreme circumstance. My conditions are not life-threatening but in an extreme case they’re on par with having an epileptic fit… I am pretty much paralysed on the floor. I’m not talking about me jumping on the plane and just going ‘I’m going to get on with it’ [and vape].”
“I’m not some stoner at the end of the day. I’ve worked all my life, I’ve always grafted, and I very rarely asked for handouts until I had my accident, that’s for sure.”
Mr Bryant revealed he never leaves his home without “a lot of paperwork” including his prescription and a copy of the guidance around the Equality Act concerning medical cannabis. Since 2018, medicinal cannabis has been legally prescribed in Wales, and Mr Bryant argued that he should have been allowed to bring his vaping device onboard as it constitutes medication for his disability.
“If they would have been aware of medicinal cannabis it would never have blown up into a big thing in front of everyone,” he explained. “I’ve spent so many hours on email facing ignorance trying to get access to venues, places and private caravan hires for a holiday.”
“I always try and be kind and considerate wherever I go. I belong to a local men’s shed and I’m accepted there by all of the blokes but I still go and medicate outside because I’m considerate like that. If I’m on a plane and a medical emergency arises, what do you expect me to do? “.
A spokesperson for Aer Lingus Regional (operated by Emerald Airlines) stated: “Smoking and vaping onboard Aer Lingus flights are strictly prohibited. The safety of our passengers is our utmost priority.”
“The use of such devices in the cabin could pose a risk to our crew and passengers. The passenger in question was welcome to board the aircraft on the condition that he refrained from vaping during the one-hour flight to Belfast. However, as the passenger refused to comply with this condition, he was subsequently denied boarding.”
The airline firmly stated in response to suggestions that Mr Bryant was treated unfairly due to his disability: “Any passenger who violates our explicit no-smoking and vaping policy will be refused boarding.” They also promoted their Premium app, available on Apple and Android, for the best user experience.
