LONDON // A British schoolboy is stranded in the UAE after suddenly developing a chronic fear of flying that has left him too terrified to board a plane.
Four attempts to persuade 11-year-old Joe Thompson to fly have failed, despite the presence on one occasion of a hypnotherapist who had planned to sit next to him on the aircraft.
Joe and his family live in Al Ain but are returning to the UK, and he has to be back by September to start at a new school in his hometown of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset.
Now his father Tony plans to take him back by road, sea and rail, and has worked out a route that avoids trouble spot such as Syria.
The phobia has mystified doctors, psychiatrists and his family, because until a few months ago Joe regularly flew long haul.
Mr Thompson said of one of the attempts to persuade his son to board a plane: "He was highly nervous, sweating, shaking and with his stomach in knots."
Mr Thompson, who was due to fly back to Abu Dhabi tonight following a trip to the UK, plans to take Joe overland through Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt. They will go on to Greece and travel through Europe by train before crossing the English Channel and landing back in the UK.
"Joe is stranded and clearly a flight back is not an option after four failed attempts," said Mr Thompson, a crisis management expert. "I can't put my son through further misery. The problem now is getting him out of the Gulf safely and into Europe.
"I am speaking to the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi to get the best security advice regarding the land options. I will have to avoid Iraq and Syria. It will be a challenge."
The first signs of the phobia emerged in March when Joe refused to board a flight with his mother Pauline from London to the UAE. He became so frightened and traumatised that they were forced to return home to Weston-super-Mare.
During the next few days Joe was counselled by a hypnotherapist, who helped him to temporarily overcome his fears so he could fly back.
The family thought Joe's problem was over until two weeks later when rugby coach Tony and Joe, a keen player, boarded a packed flight to Sri Lanka to take part in a tournament. Joe became so distraught that the crew asked him to leave the plane two minutes before take-off.
His parents then decided he should fly home to the UK for good as soon as possible. However, despite long-distance counselling over the internet and the administration of a sedative, Joe was unable to fly home even though the trip was to be broken up with a stopover on Cyprus.
"Joe got through check-in but when we reached the departure gates he flipped and was very distressed. Airline staff refused to allow him to board, which was understandable, and we went back to Al Ain."
A final attempt on July 15 also failed. Mr Thompson added: "As an extra measure we flew a hypnotherapist out from the UK to support him and travel with him. We also arranged for him to take some extra meditation to calm him down, but all this was to no avail and poor Joe was not allowed to board the aircraft.
"He is as upset about this as anyone. Joe is a perfectly normal lad and there seems no rational explanation for his fears. He's flown all over the world without any problem since he was a toddler."
The family had hoped to be home in time for the Olympics, but will now miss the event even though they have tickets.
Joe plans to become a professional rugby player, having learnt the game during his time in the UAE. He played for the Al Ain Amblers, and at a tournament in Dubai earlier this year was chosen as the top player in his age group out of 300 players.
Mrs Thompson has remained in Al Ain with Joe, and has been forced to give up a new teaching job in the UK because of the upheaval.
Mr Thompson, a former aide of John Prescott, the UK's ex-deputy prime minister, worked as a consultant to Abu Dhabi's Critical National Infrastructure Authority before becoming quality manager at a private hospital.
Once his family are resettled back in the UK he plans to seek another post overseas, but first he faces the challenge of bringing his son home.
"I must use all my energies to get Joe back safely, and I won't fail him," he said.