Concerns raised 2 Lack of training for airline and ground staff on vulnerability of lone passengers when disembarked overseas View source Lack of safeguarding procedures for vulnerable passengers disembarked overseas View source
Actions described in response An action is something this recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised. 4
Action
Publish revised denied-boarding procedures requiring consideration of immediate needs and possible additional support for distressed or vulnerable passengers.
View source
Action
Introduce an external Mental Health Awareness course for trainers.
View source
Action
Publish revised guidance recognising acute mental health crises and identifying additional assistance for passengers with hidden disabilities.
View source
Action
Update and deliver initial and recurrent ground-crew training on the revised procedures, including the Westlake case as a case study.
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AI-generated summary
Andrew Paul WESTLAKE · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Andrew Paul WESTLAKE was disembarked from a flight in Turkey while appearing frightened, confused and mentally unwell, and later fell 10.2 metres from the second floor of Dalaman Airport, dying in hospital from his injuries on 29 May 2018. The concerns centred on the lack of airline procedures and staff training for safeguarding vulnerable passengers who are disembarked overseas, particularly those travelling alone and experiencing a mental health crisis.
Read the report on judiciary.uk
× Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Jet2.com Limited; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of training for airline and ground staff on vulnerability of lone passengers when disembarked overseas
Wider context from the report “1. Mr WESTLAKE appears on the evidence to have been mentally unwell when he was disembarked. He was not aggressive, violent or abusive - toxicological evidence showed he had not consumed alcohol or any drugs prescribed or illicit. He was travelling alone. He had no possessions, money, mobile telephone, this was his first trip outside the UK as an adult and he could not speak Turkish.
2. A witness for JET2.Com confirmed no policy or procedure exists for disembarking a passenger other than for a disruptive passenger. She could not recall any training on this situation or in relation to passengers that may be vulnerable through mental illness.
3. A number of witnesses gave evidence on the distress and confusion of Mr WESTLAKE within the terminal, aircraft and air bridge.
Mr WESTLAKE was disembarked from the aircraft. He found himself without support in a foreign country and it would appear, was in some form of mental health crisis.
My concerns centre on;
• Training for airline and ground staff (employed by UK Airlines) on vulnerability of lone passengers when disembarked overseas.
• Procedures for safeguarding vulnerable passengers such as Mr WESTLAKE.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to Jet2.com Limited; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of safeguarding procedures for vulnerable passengers disembarked overseas
Wider context from the report “1. Mr WESTLAKE appears on the evidence to have been mentally unwell when he was disembarked. He was not aggressive, violent or abusive - toxicological evidence showed he had not consumed alcohol or any drugs prescribed or illicit. He was travelling alone. He had no possessions, money, mobile telephone, this was his first trip outside the UK as an adult and he could not speak Turkish.
2. A witness for JET2.Com confirmed no policy or procedure exists for disembarking a passenger other than for a disruptive passenger. She could not recall any training on this situation or in relation to passengers that may be vulnerable through mental illness.
3. A number of witnesses gave evidence on the distress and confusion of Mr WESTLAKE within the terminal, aircraft and air bridge.
Mr WESTLAKE was disembarked from the aircraft. He found himself without support in a foreign country and it would appear, was in some form of mental health crisis.
My concerns centre on;
• Training for airline and ground staff (employed by UK Airlines) on vulnerability of lone passengers when disembarked overseas.
• Procedures for safeguarding vulnerable passengers such as Mr WESTLAKE.
” Open source report
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Publish revised denied-boarding procedures requiring consideration of immediate needs and possible additional support for distressed or vulnerable passengers.
Verbatim wording from the response “Section 3.3.19 of the Ground Handling Manual addresses the procedures to be followed by ground crew should a passenger be denied boarding. Denied boarding can take place for a number of reasons including disruptive behaviour, as was the case with Mr Westlake. The procedure now contains a provision that if a passenger is denied boarding, then ground crew should consider the immediate customer needs and assist the passenger to the extent practical in the circumstances.” Source location 2020-0268-Response-from-JET-2-Redacted
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Introduce an external Mental Health Awareness course for trainers.
Verbatim wording from the response “To further support our colleagues, training will be updated in line with the revised procedures set out above, and we will additionally use the case of Mr Westlake as a case study in our initial and recurrent training to ground crew. We also plan to introduce a further suitable external course for trainers on Mental Health Awareness. We have set a deadline of 29 January 2021 to update the relevant training” Source location 2020-0268-Response-from-JET-2-Redacted
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Publish revised guidance recognising acute mental health crises and identifying additional assistance for passengers with hidden disabilities.
Verbatim wording from the response “We have reviewed and updated the content to address the fact that a passenger who is disembarked from an aircraft for any reason may equally be suffering from a hidden disability, such as a mental health condition or crisis. In such circumstances the passenger may be vulnerable, and we have provided guidance on what additional assistance should be considered where such behaviour is evident or otherwise identified.” Source location 2020-0268-Response-from-JET-2-Redacted
Open published response
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Source evidence
How this respondent action was interpreted
PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.
PFD Monitor interpretation Update and deliver initial and recurrent ground-crew training on the revised procedures, including the Westlake case as a case study.
Verbatim wording from the response “To further support our colleagues, training will be updated in line with the revised procedures set out above, and we will additionally use the case of Mr Westlake as a case study in our initial and recurrent training to ground crew. We also plan to introduce a further suitable external course for trainers on Mental Health Awareness. We have set a deadline of 29 January 2021 to update the relevant training” Source location 2020-0268-Response-from-JET-2-Redacted
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Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations