World news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Australian family arranges costly medical flight home for autistic son from Japan
An Australian family was evacuated from Japan after their 18-year-old autistic son, Ryan James, developed an intense fear of flying and could not board a commercial flight. After he was assessed as unfit to fly, his parents arranged a specialist medical flight to bring him home, facing costs that may reach $500,000.
The family had travelled to Tokyo Disneyland to celebrate Ryan’s birthday, and he had previously flown to five countries without difficulty. After three failed attempts to get him on a domestic flight, they spent two weeks stranded in Japan; the medical retrieval was quoted at least $296,000, with sedation and other care adding to the bill. A fundraising appeal raised more than $200,000, and the family said they may remortgage their home.
In short
- An autistic teenager was evacuated from Japan by medical flight.
- His family faces a bill of up to $500,000.
- More than $200,000 was raised through a fundraiser.
Explained simply
Autism is a lifelong condition that can affect how a person communicates, processes information and responds to unfamiliar or stressful situations. Autistic people have different needs and experiences, and difficulties in one situation do not necessarily predict how they will manage another.
Airlines can refuse to carry someone if they believe the person is not fit to fly, while a medical flight can provide care and support during the journey. These flights are arranged separately from ordinary passenger travel and can be costly, particularly when specialist staff or treatment are needed.
For families travelling abroad, a sudden change in someone’s health or ability to travel can mean arranging care far from home. Travel insurance may help with some emergency costs, but cover depends on the policy and circumstances.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Daily Mail as “Aussie autistic teen finally evacuated from Japan after dream Disney birthday trip turned into a $500,000 nightmare after he was deemed ‘unfit to fly’”.