As if gingers didn’t already have it bad enough with news that they’re slowly becoming extinct, it looks like they’re now being banned from flying on certain airlines based on their genetics.

14 year old Grace Wain attempted to board an Etihad Airways plane in Manchester on Monday to travel to Abu Dhabi with her family, when she was called out by an agent at the check-in desk.

They thought there was something wrong with her and that she might be ill because of her pale complexion.

Her dad Paul said:

I told them, ‘We live in Scotland’. She is a redhead and she has a pale complexion. That’s just the way she is.

After a lot of back and forth, they managed to get a doctor’s letter saying she was healthy and were finally allowed to fly (though their luggage then got lost on the way — d’oh!).

Etihad insist they were just concerned about Grace’s health:

Staff were concerned about the wellbeing of a young passenger ahead of a lengthy flight. The team called for a medic who examined the child and requested a ‘fit to fly’ letter from a doctor, allowing the family to board.

Images VIA

I guess they don’t get many gingers in Abu Dhabi, so seeing ginger Grace chilling in the check-in queue with her mum might’ve been a bit mind-blowing for them. Or maybe they were just thinking about how baking hot it is in Abu Dhabi all the time and realised Grace’s pale skin wouldn’t stand a chance over there? Not sure there’s any sun lotion strong enough to protect ginger people from the Dubai sun. All things considered maybe people are being too hard on Etihad Airlines over this.

Look on the bright side though ginger peeps – you’re the only ones eligible for cash-saving ginger discount cards.