Virgin Atlantic rescues ‘too heavy to fly’ Frenchman
A 230kg (35-stone) Frenchman deemed too heavy to fly by British Airways has been given a lift to London by rival Virgin Atlantic.
Kevin Chenais, 22, has a hormone imbalance and travelled to the US from France in 2012 for obesity treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Chicago.
He had planned to fly home in late October, but British Airways refused to let him board the plane on the grounds he was too fat.
An airline spokesman said the carrier tried to find a solution but in the end it was not possible to tend to Mr Chenais safely.
He has mobility problems and gets around in an electric-powered wheelchair. He needs oxygen constantly and medical oversight.
Chenais then planned to sail from New York on the Queen Mary 2, but the cruise company also had concerns, citing "health security issues", his father, Rene, told AFP.
Rene Chenais said he was not sure how the family would proceed after arriving in London.
Ian Jarrett
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