Samantha Mitchell, a 39-year-old special educational needs teacher from Stoke-on-Trent, experienced a terrifying ordeal when her dialysis machine was left behind by Ryanair on a flight from London Stansted to Reggio Calabria, Italy, on July 26. Mitchell, who suffers from kidney failure and requires dialysis five times a week, was told at the check-in desk that her 43kg machine was too heavy to be transported.
Despite showing staff a medical waiver and receiving assurances from a supervisor that the equipment would be on the flight, Mitchell discovered upon arrival in Italy that the machine had been left in London. This led to significant distress and fear for her life, as she was due to undergo dialysis that same evening.
Mitchell stated that without regular dialysis, she experiences swelling due to toxin buildup, difficulty breathing, and can become sick. The most severe risk, she explained, would be a heart attack due to excessive toxins in her blood.
Following the discovery, Ryanair staff contacted Stansted Airport and arranged for the machine to be sent on the next available flight. However, it did not arrive until 5 p.m. the following day, by which time Mitchell reported feeling unwell and was experiencing swelling. To mitigate further toxin accumulation, she claimed to have stopped eating and drinking.
Ryanair acknowledged the incident as an "error made by the check-in agent" and stated they expedited the delivery of the device on the subsequent flight, arranging for a taxi to ensure it reached the passenger promptly. A spokesperson for Stansted Airport indicated that the matter was for Ryanair to address.
This incident marks the second time Mitchell has faced difficulties with her dialysis machine during air travel. In 2018, she was reportedly denied boarding by the same airline due to its weight.