Clearance to Fly with Jet 2 just because I have cancer! I know I need to calm down!

Hi 

Seems like such a long time ago I posted this, we did end up going to Ibiza with Jet 2 in the end. Then in the October 2023 we flew with Ryanair as reccomend  for their inclusivity by the hospice that Simon was  under  to Fuerterventura. 

i honestly think Jet 2 are discriminating against people fighting cancer like this.

Sadly Simon passed away on New Year’s Eve 2023 aged just 53 but I cherish every memory made in the 31 years we were together including the many trips abroad 

Sorry for your loss. My husband is 54. We want to make memories but feel victims. We have been granted travel insurance with a fit to fly letter. I don’t understand why when you ask for assist because OH can’t stand to long in queues that it’s suddenly a major issue to fly. He gets up himself? Has a bath himself, eats and cooks. The form  is also not compulsory with his cancer. It’s asking if he has breathing issues and can he go to use the toilet in the plane on his own. If the Dr and oncologist says he can fly with a fit to fly latter, and he has insurance I don’t see what the problem is. Looks like Jet2 just want an easy life and are not about customer service. 
the less they need to do the better. 

Hi, huge congratulations on your wedding! I wish you many happy years together.

I'm so sorry to hear this. I have been there with Jet 2. If they refuse you to fly, you will have to claim off your travel insurance. Having said that, I fly regularly with them and I'm stage 4. I fill in the vast majority of the form, including the second part for a medical practitioner. I take it with me to my monthly oncology appointment where I get my bloods and blood oxygen levels checked. My Cancer Nurse Specialist then signs it and sometimes uses an official hospital stamp but I've gone without it numerous times when she couldn't find it! Jet 2 have then always approved it within hours. Bottom line is, you can't fly without it. They are assessing the chances of you taking ill on a flight and costing them thousands to divert. You can't fight them on it, I tried and ended up having to give in if I wanted to fly. So I think you need your Cancer Nurse Specialist here. It's a bit miserable of your GP to refuse as it only takes a few minutes to complete. My GP did it once for me as it can only be done, within 2 or 3 weeks before you fly. It was a last minute holiday and I had no oncology appointment until the week I came home. So don't panic, don't cancel anything, it's a pain, yes, I actually accused Jet 2 of discrimination but they were having none of it! Just go to the hospital to get it signed, they are your husband's primary carers now anyway.

I hope this helps!

Caroline 

Thanks. ️ 

any passenger can  get unwell? This can happen to anyone on the flight at anytime even the most healthy athletes. Passengers may have allergies and have east something which made them unwell? The mistake made was asking for assisted help. A service you feel is meant to assist you has discriminated you. Last year we flew TUI- and was never asked fill in the form? Flown with other airlines 4 in total this year and no questions asked. Husband is controlling his cancer with pills and an injection every 3 months. He not had to have chemo since last Sept. Currently his PSA is good. He does not need to see the oncologist, a phone call every 3 months to discuss his bloods.

Hello Cooks 

I am so sorry to read your post - especially as the flight is for a special event.

My question is (and I am curious not being nosey) how do Jet 2 know of your cancer? - it's something personal to you and you don't need to tell them on booking.

I fly up to 6 times a year - in fact -this reply is from me in Turkey . I am a T3 and have flown with an indwelling catheter with Jet 2. I do have a "sunflower lanyard" but don't have to tell the airline of my disability.

I feel there is some form of "discrimination" here and am happy to see if I can help, although I am not sure how,

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Brian

I require special assistance to travel, which I do often, and usually with Jet2, but with other airlines for longer haul. I need assistance because I’m in a wheelchair and require the ambulift to get on the plane. 

However, I have never once been asked what my disability is, nor been asked to complete any medical forms for any airline. An airline doesn’t know unless you specifically tell them details or ask about carrying medication. My insurance company knows the details of my cancer and I check my cover is still ok before every trip-like last year when I needed to declare my gallbladder surgery, and this year when I had my stroke. I’ve never provided a fit to fly certificate nor been asked to show one. Obviously I have asked my doctors when I’ve been travelling after a significant event, like my stroke or the pulmonary embolism I had from chemo and they’ve told me every time I was fine to fly. 

I require daily medication, but not in relation to my cancer and I simply take my medication in hand luggage. I’ve never been asked about this. 

In general terms, I’ve found the assistance very good and much appreciated and I don’t myself feel discriminated against for having cancer or any of the issues that come from that- having 2 stomas etc. I’m not sure how you could pursue this in an attempt to help, but would be interested to see if you can come up with anything. 

Sarah xx

I filled in there special assistance form. They called me asking more questions and I stupidly told them husband has cancer. They wanted too know why I’m asking for assistance. However their form is asking more if he needs gas/oxygen for which the answer is no

Hello Sarah (SarahH21) and Cooks 

I thank you both for your replies - yours Sarah which is very helpful and it does indeed show Jet 2 to be a great carrier (in fact we have a Community member who's son sadly passed away on a Jet 2 flight and he has nothing but praise for them).

All I was thinking is why should Crook's cancer be an issue with flying - yes I have flown with my wife in a wheelchair (she can now walk thank goodness!) and no one asked when I requested special assistance.

I am always aware in the back of my mind (with my "real job") of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 where everyone should have the same treatment regardless.

Best wishes to both of you and I hope you both have many more happy flights.

Brian xx

Thank you Brian-next flight in a month! I feel I am given equivalent or better treatment as a disabled passenger-priority lane through security, often seat selection for no charge(but not always) and although we always have to wait until everyone else disembarks, we are taken swiftly through border control in a separate lane with staff pushing the chair to baggage collection and beyond. 

Airlines have to bear in mind the safety of all passengers (for example I am not allowed to sit in the emergency exit seats) and they can refuse any passenger if they think safety might be compromised. I have been on a flight where a passenger became drunk and violent, which resulted in the plane diverting to India to be met by armed police. A huge delay for us and a massive cost for the airline which couldn’t have been anticipated. The lady had seemed perfectly normal when she boarded! 

So, if they know details in advance of things which they feel COULD be an issue, they need to measure the level of that risk and can deny boarding. I completely agree that having cancer should not be a reason to deny boarding, but I suspect it would be very difficult to prove discrimination against an airline. What we do after every trip is provide feedback on things which could improve-and typically that would be staff training-whether they listen to feedback is another thing of course! 

Sarah xx