The 230kg man has been turned down by planes, trains and even a cruise ship in his quest to return home and his family says it's because of he has been deemed too fat to travel.
Chenais, 22, had been in the United States since May 2012 for treatment. He tried to fly home with British Airways last month but the airline said he was too heavy.
British Airways acknowledges that it refused to let Chenais board the plane, but said confidentiality rules prevent it from saying why.
The family subsequently tried to sail across the Atlantic, but the Queen Mary cruise ship also refused to have him onboard.
The Virgin Atlantic airlines agreed to fly him to London, where he had planned to take the Eurostar train home. But Eurostar refused to allow him on board because of safety rules governing travel through the Channel Tunnel: The high-speed train that connects England to France and Belgium requires all passengers to have the ability to be safely evacuated — and Chenais' obesity-caused lack of mobility made that impossible.
"This is a terrible situation," Eurostar said in a statement. "Our heart goes out to Mr. Chenais and his family who are understandably desperate to return home after being stranded in America."
"It's difficult to imagine the frustration that this gentleman has gone through," P&O spokesman Chris Laming said in a statement. "But for us, it's very straightforward as we are set up to carry people who have medical needs."
Eurostar accommodated Chenais in London at the company's expense and said Wednesday it is trying to help him get home as soon as possible.
Chenais, 22, had been in the United States since May 2012 for treatment. He tried to fly home with British Airways last month but the airline said he was too heavy.
British Airways acknowledges that it refused to let Chenais board the plane, but said confidentiality rules prevent it from saying why.
The family subsequently tried to sail across the Atlantic, but the Queen Mary cruise ship also refused to have him onboard.
The Virgin Atlantic airlines agreed to fly him to London, where he had planned to take the Eurostar train home. But Eurostar refused to allow him on board because of safety rules governing travel through the Channel Tunnel: The high-speed train that connects England to France and Belgium requires all passengers to have the ability to be safely evacuated — and Chenais' obesity-caused lack of mobility made that impossible.
"This is a terrible situation," Eurostar said in a statement. "Our heart goes out to Mr. Chenais and his family who are understandably desperate to return home after being stranded in America."
"It's difficult to imagine the frustration that this gentleman has gone through," P&O spokesman Chris Laming said in a statement. "But for us, it's very straightforward as we are set up to carry people who have medical needs."
Eurostar accommodated Chenais in London at the company's expense and said Wednesday it is trying to help him get home as soon as possible.
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