Airlines & Disabled Passengers

[spen666]

This story was brought to my attention today ( lets concentrate on story not attacking the publisher)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...wl-toilet-seat-polish-airline-wheelchair.html

Assuming there is some semblance of truth in the story, it appears to be a dreadful way to treat disabled passengers.

What can the UK government do about it, given it is a foreign owned airline?
If it were to indeed be company policy as suggested at one point in the article, would the UK government be entitled to deny that airline landing rights in the UK? If not, what can the UK government do to protect disabled passengers and to ensure companies operating into or out of UK comply with the UK disability legislation?

 

[glasgowcyclist]

What’s the gist of the report, for those of us who prefer not to click on that?

 

[AuroraSaab]

No wheelchair on board, so a disabled passenger had to crawl/drag himself down the aisle to the loo.

Provision for disabled people on transport is often terrible. Tanni Grey-Thompson has mentioned many times about getting stuck on the rail network because lifts weren't working or promised assistance didn't materialise.

In this case you would think an on board wheelchair of some description would be mandatory, if only for evacuation in case of emergency or if someone is taken ill.

(I'm guessing he got on the plane with help from an airport wheelchair that was then removed. It doesn't really explain that).

TGT also publicises other disabled people who are badly let down by transport provision or access. Some of the stories are awful, really disgraceful.

https://x.com/Tanni_GT

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I found another source for the story:

https://notesfrompoland.com/2024/10/01/polish-airline-lot-apologises-to-disabled-bbc-journalist-forced-to-crawl-to-toilet

Poland’s national airline, LOT, has apologised to a BBC journalist who was forced to crawl on the floor of an aircraft to reach the toilet because there were no wheelchairs on board.​

​

“Wow. It’s 2024 and I’ve just had to crawl along the floor of this LOT Polish airline to get to the toilet during a flight back from Warsaw as ‘we don’t have onboard wheelchairs. It’s airline policy’,” wrote Frank Gardner, the BBC’s security correspondent, on X. “If you’re disabled and you can’t walk this is just discriminatory.”​

​

The journalist – who has used a wheelchair since being left partially paralysed after being shot by al-Qaida gunmen while reporting in Saudi Arabia in 2004 – shared an image showing his legs on the floor of the aircraft, which was flying from Warsaw to London.​

I don’t know If such circumstances are enough to justify a denial to land. I imagine the backlash from this case will be enough to force the airline to quickly accommodate disabled passengers in the future.

 

[spen666]

I don’t know If such circumstances are enough to justify a denial to land. I imagine the backlash from this case will be enough to force the airline to quickly accommodate disabled passengers in the future.

One incident is bad enough, but a denial to land on basis of one incident would not be appropriate.

A refusal by airline to change its position however is a different matter, and it was on basis of this policy continuing that I was suggesting a denial of landing...or alternatively what other action could UK government take

 

[glasgowcyclist]

One incident is bad enough, but a denial to land on basis of one incident would not be appropriate.

A refusal by airline to change its position however is a different matter, and it was on basis of this policy continuing that I was suggesting a denial of landing...or alternatively what other action could UK government take

I think government intervention will be unnecessary (and wouldn’t it be the CAA anyway?), since the company has stated it intends to provide a wheelchair on flights soon. 👇

“We understand how important accessibility is and are currently actively testing solutions to soon equip short-haul aircraft with wheelchairs for on-board mobility,”​

 

[BoldonLad]

It would appear the passenger was BBC's Frank Gardner https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7490n4rnkpo

 

[Bromptonaut]

It would appear the passenger was BBC's Frank Gardner https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c7490n4rnkpo

Indeed. People elsewhere are using it a stick to beat Gardner/the BBC for not checking first about an aisle wheelchair.

 

[mjr]

I think government intervention will be unnecessary (and wouldn’t it be the CAA anyway?), since the company has stated it intends to provide a wheelchair on flights soon.

Govt should set a deadline like it did for rail (without the Grayling-era cockups, ideally), as "soon" is meaninglessly vague.

 

[AuroraSaab]

Modern lightweight wheelchairs are pretty compact. It doesn't seem unreasonable to ask airlines to carry one, even on short haul flights. I think there would be a problem with very large, heavy passengers who might need something much bigger, but a general purpose wheelchair isn't much to ask.

 

[Bromptonaut]

AIUI there is a design called an aisle wheelchair specifically designed for use on board aircraft.