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A UK teenager was banned from boarding her flight to the Maldives last Monday after being deemed sickly-looking by airline staff for her pale complexion and red hair. 

Grace Wain, 14, and her family were attempting to board their flight from Manchester to the Maldives, when Etihad Airlines staff forced the teen to undergo a medical check-up. 

Despite receiving the all clear, staff remained unconvinced Wain was healthy enough to travel, forcing the Scottish family to obtain a letter from the teen's general practitioner moments before take-off. 

The vacation went even more awry when the family arrived in the Maldives, only to discover two pieces of their luggage had been misplaced.

Etihad, meanwhile, has denied there was any sort of discrimination against Wain, with a spokeswoman claiming, staff were simply "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. Our team on the ground continued to provide support ahead of the flight.

“Unfortunately, when the family arrived, some of their baggage was missing. The airline apologized and took all measures to find and deliver the baggage to the Wain family as soon as possible."