An Australian family has returned home after a dream 18th birthday trip to Tokyo Disneyland turned into a $500,000 ordeal when their autistic son was deemed unfit to fly.
Ryan James, who has autism and Global Developmental Delay, had previously traveled internationally without issue. However, while in Japan, he developed an acute fear of flying. His refusal to board a domestic flight resulted in him being declared unfit to fly by airline staff. His parents, Mel and Brad James, attempted to manage the situation with medication and the help of airline personnel, but Ryan experienced a severe meltdown, escalating his distress.
Following a failed medical assessment, the family spent two weeks stranded in Japan before chartering a specialized medical flight, CareFlight, to return to Australia. The cost for this retrieval, including sedation and other medical expenses, was estimated to reach $500,000. The family stated they may need to remortgage their home to cover the expenses.
While Ryan and his parents remained in Japan, their two other children returned to New South Wales with their grandmother. The family arrived back in Sydney on Tuesday morning, with Ryan visibly sedated and on a stretcher as he was assisted off the plane by medical staff. Ryan's mother was seen thanking a CareFlight doctor on the tarmac.
Mel James explained that the trip was intended as a special 18th birthday celebration for Ryan, whose autism meant traditional parties were not suitable. "We just wanted to give him something for his 18th birthday," she said. "Being a child with Autism, we can't buy him a car or give him an 18th party that we all had and enjoyed, so his love for Mickey was my determination to take him to Tokyo."
A GoFundMe campaign set up to assist the family with the costs has since closed, having raised over $200,000. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed they had provided consular assistance to the Australian involved.