Was airline wrong to deny boarding?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

We arrived at the departure gate one minute after it closed (Getty)

Q I have just read your article about a woman being bounced off an easyJet flight. Two years ago we checked in our luggage at Orlando airport in Florida, but due to unforeseen circumstances arrived at the departure gate one minute after the gate closed. We were refused boarding by an obnoxious member of airline staff and had to rebook our departure.

My wife, who had become ill on holiday, had her prescription medicines in the hold luggage. We asked for the bags to be removed as she would need extra medicines due to the delay. But the plane left with our luggage on board, which we could not recover until we arrived back in the UK.

Clearly the fight had been overbooked. Despite trying to claim compensation the airline refused. After several rebuttals I gave up. Can you advise if the airline broke any aviation rules and if there is anything we can do by way of redress?