An Irish airline refused to permit actress Fiona O’Connell to fly this week because she is 36 weeks pregnant with her and husband producer Martin Delany’s fourth child.
O’Connell claims to have cleared he rights to travel with her doctor and says she contacted Aer Lingus in advance to confirm that she would be able to fly. She pointed out the fact that she flew to Glasgow from Dublin on the airline days before.
However, when she arrived for the return flight, the airline staff told her while passengers between 32 and 35 weeks pregnant can ly with a doctor’s note, for liability reasons, it doesn’t allow those who are term and over 36 weeks gestation.
“It was the captain in the end who ultimately called it,” she told
By that time, a woman can go into labor anytime which could put the baby, the pregnant woman and other passengers at risk if such an emergency situation were to happen mid-flight.
Fiona paid for a taxi and new flight.
No one is exempt. Not even off springs of famous people. The initial flight must have been a glitch or some star struck airline worker may have let her pass notwithstanding the rules.
Check out our old post here which details all the places that you can fly.