A DISTRAUGHT couple have spoken of how a dream break on a Greek island has turned into a holiday hell.

Roddy Duffy and his partner Sarah Rourke were due to fly back from Kos on Friday.

But Jet2 refused them permission to board the plane.

Diabetic Mr Duffy says he was suffering a hypo, when blood sugar levels fall, which the airline mistook for him being drunk.

“I was sick and a little unsteady on my feet and my speech was slurred,” said the 55-year-old, from Silsden.

“However, I didn’t have any issue with being able to fly.

“Myself and Sarah tried to explain that it was nothing to do with alcohol, but they just weren’t interested.

“We were brought out of the queue at the airport and told that we wouldn’t be boarding the flight because I was unfit due to drink. They said I shouldn’t have been drinking.

“The way we were treated was absolutely appalling.

“There was no offer of help – they just left us sat there with our cases.”

Sarah rang for an ambulance, which arrived and took Mr Duffy away.

However she was left alone with the luggage and had no idea where her partner had been taken.

“I eventually found the hospital but the whole episode was simply a nightmare,” said Sarah, 41.

“No one at the airport would listen to us. They just assumed Roddy was drunk and that was that.”

Mr Duffy – who has been diabetic for about ten years and doesn’t work due to his health – remained in hospital in Kos town this week.

Sarah, who is on her first trip abroad, has been staying there with him.

They hope to return to Britain today, provided Mr Duffy is fit enough.

But the couple, who didn’t take out insurance on their week-long £500 holiday, say Jet2 originally warned them they would have to fund the flight themselves.

“It’s been a real strain money-wise because of course we didn’t budget for all this,” said Sarah. “We just want to get home.

“Roddy’s son Gavin has flown out to try to help and my daughter transferred some money for us.”

A Jet2 spokesman told us: “ We would like to apologise to Mr Duffy and his partner, however our team made the decision in the interests of both Mr Duffy and other customers after he appeared to be extremely unwell in the queue at check-in. Having since been made aware of Mr Duffy’s pre-existing medical condition, we have offered to pay for both his and his partner’s return flights as a goodwill gesture.”

Jet2 says it always urges holidaymakers to obtain travel insurance.

A spokesman said: “Our team advised Mr Duffy and his partner to obtain a ‘fit to fly’ certificate and to contact their travel insurance provider, however we understand that they have no travel insurance in place.

“This type of incident is why we always encourage customers to purchase travel insurance.”

The couple booked their holiday through Althams Travel, which declined to comment.