EasyJet throws model off plane for having a seizure even after paramedics cleared her to fly

A woman was taken off an EasyJet flight to Greece on Wednesday after she suffered a minor epileptic seizure, even though paramedics had cleared her to fly. EasyJet say they were just following medical advice.

Helen Stephens, 30, told the Independent she suffered a seizure before the plane destined for Zakynthos, Greece, had taken off. "It wasn't like I'd been drunk and rowdy. I had a bit of a seizure, felt a bit silly, I just needed to sit there for a minute and go back to my seat," she told the site.

Paramedics came to the flight and cleared her to fly but the airline told her to leave the flight. "If I had to be stretchered off the plane, and taken to hospital, I could completely understand that, but a walking, talking person who can get up and pack her passport away and then get off the plane – it was really embarrassing."

The airline said in a statement that the captain was concerned and they were following medical advice: "Our in house medical team advise that internationally agreed protocol is that it is not advisable to fly within 24 hours of a convulsion without medical clearance."

Stephens, a model living in Southampton, was offered the next flight 24 hours later plus accommodation. She said she would not miss the wedding she was flying to attend but had been looking forward to having some holiday days. "I'm a customer, I said I was fine, I looked fine, the paramedics said I was fine."

"There are different severities of epilepsy. It happens in myriad ways and they should listen to health professionals and to people with epilepsy. They didn't listen to me."