Seat row mother ordered off plane

Mrs Jordon was forced to leave the plane with her children

A mother says an airline undermined her parental rights by ordering her off a plane, citing child protection laws.

Ann Jordan, from Sunderland, had just boarded an Easyjet flight to Newcastle with her two children when she was told she did not have the right child seat.

Another passenger offered to hold her three-month old baby Kaleb during the flight, but the captain said this would breach the Child Protection Act.

An Easyjet spokesman said the pilot was simply complying with policy.

The family were flying from Bristol to Newcastle last week, on their way home after visiting relatives in Cardiff.

I would do anything in the world for my child yet they were saying the law is more important Anne Jordan

Mrs Jordan, 35, had made the outbound journey with her sister, Claire Ash, and the pair each sat with a child on their knee.

She was told her daughter Azrael would need a child safety seat for the return journey, but claims that Easyjet did not specify what sort.

After boarding the plane she was told she had the wrong seat, and no replacement was available.

A woman sitting on the row behind said she would be happy to have Kaleb on her lap, but the captain said that would breach the Child Protection Act.

'Passenger safety'

Mrs Jordan said: "I was then escorted off the flight, where my baggage was already off the plane, so they had already made up their mind that I wasn't going to be allowed to fly.

"It's as if my authority as a parent has been undermined. I would do anything in the world for my child yet they were saying the law is more important."

An Easyjet spokesman said the decision had been taken in the interests of passenger safety.

He said that under the Child Protection Act, no other passenger can be asked to accept responsibility during flight of an unaccompanied minor.

Mrs Jordan was allowed on a later flight after her mother bought a child seat in Cardiff, then drove 60 miles to Bristol.

She said she would never fly with the budget airline again.