World · East Asia & Pacific · 2 hrs ago
Australian family returns from Japan after $500,000 medical flight for son
Mel and Brad James and their son Ryan returned to Australia after being stranded in Japan for two weeks.
The family had travelled from New South Wales to Tokyo for a birthday trip with their three children.
Ryan, 18, has autism, Global Developmental Delay and Jordan’s Syndrome, and had flown to five countries before.
He developed an intense fear of flying in Japan and could not board a domestic flight.
After several attempts, the airline required medical clearance, and Ryan failed an assessment.
The family chartered a CareFlight medical flight home, with sedation and other medical care expected to bring the cost to as much as $500,000.
More than $200,000 was raised through a fundraiser, which has now closed, but the family may remortgage their home to cover the remaining costs.
An Australian family returned from Japan on a specialised medical flight after their autistic teenage son was deemed unfit to fly.
The CareFlight flight was quoted at least $296,000, with sedation, intubation and other medical expenses expected to bring the bill to as much as $500,000.
Ryan James, 18, developed an intense fear of flying during a family trip to Tokyo for his birthday.
After he could not board a domestic flight and failed a medical assessment, the family spent two weeks stranded in Japan.
The family’s fundraiser raised more than $200,000.
- Who
- Ryan James, his parents Mel and Brad, and their family.
- What
- They returned to Australia on a specialised medical flight after Ryan was deemed unfit to fly on a regular flight.
- When
- They arrived back in Sydney just after midnight on Tuesday morning. The article was published on November 3, 2026.
- Where
- The family returned from Japan to Sydney, Australia.
- Why
- Ryan developed an intense fear of flying and was unable to board a domestic flight in Japan.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Mel and Brad James travelled to Tokyo with their three children to celebrate Ryan's 18th birthday.
Ryan refused to board a domestic flight in Japan and was deemed unfit to fly.
The family spent two weeks in Japan before arranging a CareFlight medical flight.
The family arrived at Sydney Airport's jetbase just after midnight.
- Ryan James
- 18 years old
- Medical flight quote
- At least $296,000
- Expected total bill
- Up to $500,000
- Fundraiser total
- More than $200,000
- Return destination
- Sydney, Australia
What people are saying
We'll pay whatever it takes to get our son home
We just wanted to give him something for his 18th birthday.
We couldn't get him on the plane, he went into a meltdown – raised voice, very loud, threw himself on the ground