i think there's a lesson here in risk management. the obviously brilliant doctor failed to put care and attention into the mundane delivery part of the process. there are no small details. Jet Star is a low price, zero premium service. for the cash/time invested, they should have being going business class with a premium airline, a signed piece of letterhead and if possible, hired an airline rep to walk them in one airport and out the other. someone's life hung on the balance of a student knowing a pilot...
To quote, "That done, Birchall's team booked the only direct flight from Bristol to Barcelona, operated by an airline called easyJet." Thus, your "business class with a premium airline" doesn't (appear) to have been feasible.