"Mark Mardell, the veteran BBC presenter who once reported from the White House and the European parliament, says he was left humiliated after Turkish Airlines refused to let him board a London-bound flight because of his Parkinson's. The broadcaster, diagnosed with the degenerative neurological condition three years ago, was prevented from flying from Istanbul to London Gatwick without a GP letter confirming he was fit to travel. Mardell, 68, then spent seven hours alone in Istanbul airport one of the largest in the world."
"I feel so humiliated. It's this terrible feeling that you are so vulnerable. I nearly burst into tears about five times, he told The Sunday Times. During appeals for help, he said one female employee looked at him and remarked: Look at you your hands are shaking. Although tremors are a common Parkinson's symptom, Mardell said he does not have one and believed he was shaking only from stress."
Mark Mardell, diagnosed with Parkinson's three years ago, was barred from boarding a London-bound flight from Istanbul by Turkish Airlines without a GP fitness-to-travel letter. He spent seven hours alone in one of the world's largest airports and described feeling humiliated, vulnerable, and near tears, with staff commenting on his shaking. The UK Civil Aviation Authority regards the airline's policy as unlawful under UK law and has raised the issue with Turkish Airlines, but lacks formal remit because the carrier is non-UK and non-EU. Mardell co-presents a Parkinson's podcast and had travelled to Istanbul for a road trip.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
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