Woman to take legal action after being removed from French easyJet flight for swearing
The passenger was forcibly removed by border police after debate over cabin bag size and claims she ‘was treated like a terrorist’
The woman was removed from the domestic flight last weekend
Sorbis / Shutterstock
A passenger claims she will take legal action against the low-cost airline easyJet saying she was thrown off a domestic French flight by border police for no reason.
Christel, 53, was travelling between Toulouse and Lyon on Saturday (December 7) when she was prevented from boarding.
She had been pulled aside when queuing to board and asked to pay an excess baggage fee of €58, as her cabin bag was too large.
She eventually paid the fee after attempting to negotiate, and said she “was treated like a dog” by airport staff to local media La Dépêche (paywall article).
Returning to the queue, Christel – who works for state health insurance body Cpam – was overheard saying ‘quelle bande de connes’ (online translation software may assist if you do not know what it means).
“I did not address it directly to the air hostesses but to my friend,” Christel said, but a staff member blocked her from entering the plane.
She had already scanned her boarding pass to get on the flight.
“I paid, so I am getting on it" was Christel’s response, however the air hostesses contacted French border police at the airport who removed her from the flight.
“One of the police officers told me to stop crying and acting like I was a victim. I was treated like a terrorist,” Christel said.
Read more: EasyJet announces 27 new international lines from France (4 are to UK)
Airline said passenger ejected ‘due to disruptive behaviour’
She filed a complaint against the company yesterday (December 10).
Contacted by La Dépêche, the carrier said it had filed its own report of the incident which saw a passenger “force their way up to the plane” before being removed.
The passenger was ejected “due to disruptive behaviour during the boarding process,” the company’s report added.
“As someone who works for the Cpam, I assure you I hear insults everyday,” said Christel ‘but I addressed the comments to my friend and not directly towards the staff.”
Christel made her way to Lyon by train.
The airline will stop using Toulouse as one of its French bases in the coming months.
Read more: EasyJet announces surprise closure of its base at Toulouse airport
