Budget airline EasyJet has apologised to a family over treatment of an asthmatic girl by handling agent staff at Gatwick Airport.

The Campbell family, who live in Peel, were flying back to the island from Gatwick after a holiday in Turkey.

But they arrived too late for their EasyJet flight and were refused boarding.

Furious dad Keith filmed his confrontation with a handling agent, demanding to know whether they were happy to leave his sick daughter, who suffers from severe asthma, lying on the floor.

The camera pans to 10-year-old Abigail who can be seen lying on the ground in the foetal position, cradling her head.

In footage widely published in the UK media, the employee is heard replying: ’No, no you have her on the floor because you want to, you are recording her because you want to.’

Mr Campbell responds: ’Oh so you think this is a set up do you? Are you telling me my child isn’t sick?

’Are you telling me my child is play acting?’

Mr Campbell claimed Abigail, who has brittle asthma, was left on the ground for half an hour before staff went to see him.

He said his daughter was forced to receive medical treatment in public. Another video shows her hooked up to breathing apparatus in the middle of the airport.

The Campbell family were left stranded at Gatwick for two days before they could get a seat on the next available flight to Ronaldsway.

sorry

An EasyJet spokesman said: ’We are sorry for the Campbell family’s experience at the customer service desk. They did not receive the level of care we expect to be delivered by our ground handling partners and so we are investigating this with them.

’Unfortunately the family arrived 17 minutes late to the gate and, whilst we held the gate open longer than usual to try and accommodate them, we were eventually required to offload their luggage to ensure that the flight and all other passengers on board could depart.

’We provided Mr Campbell and his family with alternative flights free of charge, as well as hotel accommodation and expenses and have since been in touch with Mr Campbell to apologise for his experience and offer a gesture of goodwill.’

The Campbell family, who live in Peel, were flying back to the island from Gatwick after a holiday in Turkey.