Australian family faces $500,000 medical flight bill after son is grounded in Japan

An Australian family’s trip to Japan to celebrate their son Ryan’s 18th birthday has been disrupted after he developed an intense fear of flying and was deemed unfit to board a domestic flight. His family say he cannot return to Australia on a commercial aircraft and has been advised to travel on a specialist medical flight, potentially costing $500,000 or more.

Ryan, who is autistic and loves Mickey Mouse, had flown before without difficulty, according to the fundraiser organiser. His parents, Mel and Brad, remain in Tokyo with him while their other two children have returned to New South Wales with their grandmother; the family’s travel insurance has not resolved the unusual situation. A fundraiser raised more than $80,000 from 780 donors in its first two days to help with costs, including consultations and daily expenses.