Overview
- Former BBC presenter Mark Mardell, 68, says he was refused boarding to London Gatwick unless he produced a GP note certifying he was fit to fly.
- He spent roughly seven hours alone at Istanbul Airport with his bag offloaded before rebooking a hotel and flying home the next day with Wizz Air.
- The UK Civil Aviation Authority says the requirement is unlawful under UK law and has raised the issue with senior figures at Turkish Airlines, though it lacks enforcement power over this route.
- Turkish Airlines’ website states that passengers with Parkinson’s are admitted only with a doctor’s report confirming there is no harm in traveling by plane.
- Parkinson’s UK chief executive Caroline Rassell has written to CEO Bilal Ekşi calling the policy ill‑informed, and the airline has offered Mardell a full refund after his complaint.