Fury as BA stop spotty tot on jet

AN angry mum has attacked British Airways after it REFUSED to allow her tot to board a plane – fearing her red spots were contagious.

One-year-old Stephanie Brown has a rare skin condition called Diffuse Cutaneous Mastocytosis (DCM) – which affects only three other children in the UK.

The child's body produces too many mast cells – blood cells formed in the bone marrow to fight off infection and illness.

When they go into overdrive to protect Stephanie’s skin from harm they produce itchy spots all over her body.

Mum Maria, 37, said she now wants to make others aware of the condition so they do not fear her baby.

She said: “When we were refused on a flight I knew I had to speak out and say something, to let people know you can go near my little girl, and to raise awareness of her condition.

“We have cleared a full shop before, with people fearing they would catch something."

Spots

The pair had already flown the 20 hours it took from visiting her newlywed brother in Australia and just wanted to get home when a little boy pointed at Stephanie, and said: “That girl’s got spots”.

The incident happened in June when Maria tried to take Stephanie on a connecting British Airways flight from Heathrow to Manchester.

After complaints from the boy’s family Maria had to produce her medical papers to prove Stephanie was not contagious.

The family were held back and the captain wanted to take off without them.

Maria and Stephanie were eventually allowed to board but the mum said: “I couldn’t look at anyone as I got on and all of the passengers were sat there waiting to leave.

"I didn’t speak to anyone and I cried all the way to Manchester.”

A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We are very sorry that Mrs Brown was upset by her experience with British Airways. It was not our intention to cause any distress.

“We were not aware in advance that Mrs Brown’s daughter had a medical condition and therefore when other passengers expressed concerns about the nature of the condition we felt it was prudent to make enquiries with our medical unit to clarify that the baby was not suffering from a communicable condition."

Maria is now hopeful ultra violet light treatment will help little Stephanie.

Fuente: thesun.co.uk