Disabled person prevented from flying by EasyJet

Everyday living
1

Hi

According to the link EasyJet have prevented a disabled wheelchair user from flying because she was not accompanied by another person thereby effectively placing limits on her right to be independent. On the face of it this seems like clear cut discrimination.

https://twitter.com/sophmorg

The caveat which has been mentioned is that this is allowable because Sophie would be unable to independently get to an exit or to use stairs should the need arise.

I have not had problems when I have flown BUT I have been accompanied by my husband and have not flown solo. But, what if I ever want to or heaven forbid, have to?

Thanks.

S.

2

Mmmm, this does seem very wrong and discriminatory.

I`ll have a look at the link.

luv Pollx

3

Hi

Thanks for reading. I really don’t know what to make of this but I would appreciate your opinion.

S.

4

Hi again. Well I haven`t read the whole thing, as the sound on my netbook isnt that great.

In essence it is blatant discrimination. Is Sophie gonna take it further? She would be trailblazing for us…I am a full time wheelie and have been thinking about going abroad for a short break, but my carers are concerned it would be too much for me, so we have decided to test a UK holiday instead. I really fancy Barcelona!

luv Pollx

5

Hiya,

Yes big problem and I am going to act a the Devil’s advocate. Fact the CAA have laid down a rule that no disabled person should be seated by an emergency exit (for obvious reason’s). Also I don’t know of any airline who has disabled toilets on their flights will also require the cabin crew to help them get on/off toilet.

It is no use having a cabin crew member injured so not being able to help the rest of the passengers if an emergency evacuation is required. During the flight there are no excess staff members to take their place.

Unfortunately the perception of Joe public is that cabin crew are trolley dolly’s who fly the world enjoying themselve’s but this is a wrong view of correctly trained staff. They have a very responsible position and in an emergency are worth their weight in gold.

I talk about my previous employer British Airways and if anyone wants to travel on a Budget Airline, you get what you pay for:

British Airways info for disabled travellers; I should imagine that the Equality Act overrides any rule that an airline makes.

Disability assistance

To help us provide you with the necessary service for your needs please let us know how we can help you. Here you will find all the important information you need about:

· Airport Authority’s responsibility within the EU (European Union)

· Mobility assistance at the airport and in-flight

· Assistance for visually impaired passengers

· Assistance for hearing impaired passengers

· Travelling with a Guide or Assistance Dog

· Other additional needs

Flights operated by our airline alliance or franchise partners may have their own restrictions so please contact us before you fly.

Airport authority responsibility within the EU

It is now the responsibility of the airport operators, within the EU to assist anyone with a disability during their time at the airport. This includes intellectual disability or impairment, age or any other cause of disability.

Airlines should provide the airport operator with advance information so that the appropriate service can be offered. To enable us to pass your request to them, where possible, please contact us 48 hours in advance.

Contact us

Back to Manage My Booking

Mobility assistance at the airport and in-flight#### Mobility assistance provided at the airport

If you need mobility assistance to help you through the airport, please request it once you have made your booking, so that this service can be provided.

If you already have a booking with British Airways you can request mobility assistance through Manage My Booking.

Back to Manage My Booking

Travelling with your own wheelchair

Once you have made your booking with us, please inform us if you are travelling in your own wheelchair or other mobility aid, so that we can make the necessary arrangements to help you make the most of your journey.

· We will store collapsible wheelchairs and mobility aids in the aircraft cabin, where space is available. If space is not available in the cabin, your wheelchair will be carried in the hold.

· You can take up to two mobility aids e.g. 2 wheelchairs will be carried free of charge in addition to the applicable checked baggage allowance.

· Wherever possible you will be able to stay in your own wheelchair/mobility aid to and from the aircraft side. If required you will be transferred to another wheelchair to take you to your seat on the aircraft.

· At airports where it is not possible to take your wheelchair/mobility aid to the gate we may have to take it at check-in and give it back to you in the arrivals baggage hall of your destination airport. If we do this we will transport you from check-in to the aircraft in another wheelchair, or buggy where appropriate and, on arrival, from the aircraft to the baggage hall of your destination airport.

· We need to know about the size and weight of your wheelchair so please have these details to hand when you tell us you are bringing it with you.

· If you already have a booking with British Airways you can request mobility assistance to help you through the airport via Manage My Booking.

Back to Manage My Booking

Preparing battery powered wheelchairs for travel

It is your responsibility to provide sufficient information about your wheelchair/mobility aid and batteries prior to travel.

Dependant upon the type of wheelchair/mobility aid being used, a number of safety measures will need to be taken before the flight and you will need to provide information to enable airport staff to assist you. Typical examples of those safety measures to be taken are detailed below.

For wheelchairs/mobility aids with dry cell batteries or non-spillable (including gel) batteries

Protect the wheelchair/mobility aid from inadvertent operation i.e. remove the key, deactivate using the joystick, deactivate using an isolation switch or buttons.

If you cannot do this you will need to disconnect the battery and protect it against short circuiting by insulating battery terminals.

For wheelchairs/mobility aids powered by wet-cell (spillable) batteries

· Remove all connections from the battery terminals.

· Protect the battery terminals to prevent short circuits by covering the terminals with electrical insulating tape or plastic caps.

· Ensure that the battery(or batteries) is securely fastened and installed in the wheelchair/mobility aid battery tray.

To ensure safe carriage of your wheelchair/mobility aid it would be very helpful if you brought the manufacturers instructions (re: disconnection of batteries) with you to the airport.

Please note that you cannot travel with wet-cell batteries for any purpose other than for powering wheelchairs.

Companions providing assistance will be required if you are unable to independently:

· lift yourself

· reach an emergency exit unaided

· communicate with the crew on safety matters

· unfasten a seat belt

· retrieve and fit a life jacket

· fit an oxygen mask

The crew cannot assist you with breathing apparatus, eating, medication or going to the toilet, although they will help you get to and from the toilet when there is an on-board wheelchair available.

Facilities on board the aircraft

· On-board wheelchairs are available on all flights over 5 hours.

· Adapted toilets with handrails on Boeing 747 aircraft. There are no adapted toilets or on-board wheelchairs on flights of less than 5 hours.

· A number of seats with lifting armrests for ease of access.

· We will do our best to allocate you a seat that is most suitable to your needs. We will not be able to seat you in an emergency exit or cross aisles which form part of an emergency exit, due to safety regulations.

Contact us to request your seat

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Visually impaired passengers

If you are visually impaired, please contact us so that we can make the necessary arrangements.

The assistance that we offer visually impaired passengers is:

· An escort to and from the aircraft.

· Individual safety briefings and assistance during the flight.

· Braille cards are available on some flights and assistance is given to visually impaired and blind passengers.

Contact us

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Hearing impaired passengers

If you are hearing impaired, please contact us so that we can make the necessary arrangements.

The assistance we can offer hearing impaired passengers is:

· An escort to and from the aircraft.

· Separate briefings about safety procedures.

· Subtitles on the English version of the in-flight safety video.

· Induction loop facilities are available at most airports and on board through our in-flight headphones.

· Headphones compatible with standard hearing aids switched to the ‘T’ position.

Contact us

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Travelling with Guide/Assistance Dogs

Certified Assistance Dogs for blind, deaf or disabled passengers travel free of charge in the aircraft cabin on all British Airways services within the UK.

In addition Assistance Dogs that are compliant with the Pet Travel Scheme may be carried, in the cabin of the aircraft on certain international routes.

Find out about the Pet Travel Scheme

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Other additional needs

If you have any other additional needs that may require assistance from British Airways, please contact us.

Contact us

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US rule for non-discrimination on the basis of disability

British Airways is covered by this rule for any flight that begins or ends at a US airport. A full copy of the rule is available for viewing on request at our airports serving the US.

An accessible copy of the rule can also be obtained from the US Dept of Transport directly using the following methods:

· For calls made from within the United States, by telephone via the Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travelers with Disabilities at 1-800-778-4838 (Voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY)

· By Telephone to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division at 202-366-2220 (Voice) or 202-366-0511 (TTY)

· By mail to the Air Consumer Protection Division, C-75, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., West Building, Room W96-432, Washington, DC 20590

On the Aviation Consumer Protection Division’s Web site - http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov

George

6

Hi Poll

THanks for looking and replying.

I think it is discrimination, also. Airlines and other public transport offer assistance, why does this assistance not extend to helping us while we are on a plane if the need should arise??? Its called "T.R.A.I.N.I.N.G. and it should not stop at the gate.

Yes, I believe Sophie is going to take this further. Really, they have given her no choice and have acted without thinking things through. She will have Ch 4 backing her up and undoubtedly they will continue to chronicle and highlight the difficulties faced by disabled people.

This also got me thinking. It really winds my husband up that we are expected to alert Network Rail if we want to travel and we are expected to do this 24 hours in advance-at least-so the ramp can be made ready for us. This is a ramp which seems to be leaning against the wall at the ready on the platforms at every station.

Are people who do not use chairs expected to alert NR of their travel arrangements in advance? Nope.

Great to hear you are having a getaway :slight_smile: Spain, warmth, wine, good food. Hope you make it there soon but in the meantime do let us know how the staycation plans are going.

S.
xx

7

Whoa George, you don’t mess about :wink:

Thanks for your opinion and for posting. I really want to understand because I may need to fly solo someday.

Will take time to read what you have posted, as always your opinion is welcome. And other opinions.

S
x

8

This, surely is somewhere between discrimination and safety? It is not the first time Easyjet have been in trouble for this (2008, 2009). but the point about not being able to climb stairs is a valid problem.

The next question is whether Easyjet were chosen because they are cheap, or because they have strict rules about disabled persons and safety? i have not checked their site to see if they list all the rules before booking - but several airlines do.

The most popular airline for London-Glasgow is BA - and George has listed their rules above.

I am not yet in a wheelchair, but steps up to a plane would give me a major problem - and take a long long time.
We are having to re-think plans for a few days in France,because of mobility problems on the ferries. The staircases are steeper and narrower than any plane I have ever flown on. This is not their rules, but us thinking ahead. The solution is to use the Shuttle, but this will dramatically increase driving time, and probably lead to an overnight stop on the way to Dover. Carry this on, and it means looking for hotels with lifts (goodbye all those wonderful little auberges).

If Easyjet are discriminating, then they deserve what they get. But could an able-bodied person also complain about discrimination if they were impeded? This is not really clear cut.

Geoff

9

Hi Geoff

There is nothing clear about this, both sides have valid concerns. The main point as I see it is that Sophie and others in her position want to travel independently.

Can you imagine the additional cost of having a carer accompany you every time you wanted to fly, even if you chose to fly a budget airline?

Besides that why should anyone have to discount (pun intended) air travel just because they are disabled?

Have fun in France.

S.

10

As a matter of interest stomagedden even cruse ships require you to have your own help/carer.

It’s in the case of an emergency. Obviously it’s human nature to help a disabled person in that situation. personally I would have nightmares if because of my mobility problems I caused the death of another. Never get over that; sorry to be so emotive.

George

11

hiya

i really was in 2 minds over replying to this-i can only tell of u my experience-here goes…

in july of this year i had the wonderful experience of flying with easyjet. when i booked the flights last year i had no idea i would be requiring assistance. 2 weeks before i flew it was apparent that i would need help-both rail and plane. contacted rail assistance tho at this point i could manage a few steps-and contacted easyjet. i was travelling with 2 kids ages 10 and 11. easyjet clearly states that when booking if u require assistance on the plane then someone over 16 should be with you. as i could manage a few steps i sought reassurance that the kids would not be separated from me-as they were under 16 they would stay with me at all times-including going up on outside of aircraft. i believe we were supposed to go on first to the plane-we didnt but they very quickly cleared row 2 so we has 3 seats together.

i was concerned re what would happen the greek end! have been going to crete for 20 years but was reassured by easyjet this end that all would be fine.

as events would turn out i couldnt travel back alone with the children as i became physically very poor (and lost ability to communicate!) so mum had to travel back with me-thus now 2 adults and 2 kids.

the greeks were fantastic-very helpful and were aware exaxtly how to help-a guess from instruction from easyjet re airport and plane assistance.

its very easy to demand equal rights yet we,sometimes, need extra care. some,if not all,of that responsibilty lies with ourselves. we need to be clear what extra help we need in order to achieve our goal and ensure that the correct assistance be given. the safety of the general public must be addressed when doing this-i agree with ggood’s post. folk can only do what is practical and safe for all,i guess thats why the guidelines/travel requirements have been made in the first place. re rail or plane what would staff do if 20 people needed assistance? thats not impossible if notice did not have to be given. surely we must meet those that genuinely want to help us half way?

its a bit scary for me that the expectation of others is very black/white but the expectation of ourselves seems to be forgotten.

for those who are able to travel alone does this mean that they are capble of managing a holiday completely unassisted? bravo if they can! i certainly couldnt not! i suggest a dose of honesty and reality between the users and the providers and then the goal will be achieved.

only my opinion-that doesnt make it right- but i have found that being honest (to myself!) gets u genuine help where at all practically possible.

ellie x

ps a thank you instead of a grumble,where appropriate, is appreciated by those who help

12

I have to say that I cant see any discrimination, their policy is disabled passengers must be accompanied by a carer

it comes down to H & S

I flew with easy jet last year I do have mobility problems as of yet I am not in a wheel chair

and I must say that I can only have praise for the way I was treated by Easyjet

there were 4 of us on the flight to Cyprus 2 in wheel chairs and 2 with sticks they got a special lift

to get us on the plane before anyone else was allowed to board

I can say they took any worry that I had about getting on the plane away

Mark

13

Hi

Thanks for your replies, you all made good points.

For the record I have flown with Ryan Air and it all went really very well because I made many calls and many arrangements and I did have my husband with me.

George, never rely on human nature :wink: all kidding aside I do understand your point and tbh there are situations now which I think how am I going to manage if I get worse? I struggle to manage things like travel, ALL types of travel, now.

Ellie, I am glad you had good experiences at both ends, I bet you agree it takes lots of time to arrange things to get the best from the experiences…plus with kiddies, you must be superwoman!

Mark, glad you also had a good experience and especiallyglad that you don’t need a chair.

The thing is that I look at Sophie and I can’t help but think that may be me someday so I am really glad that Sophie is someone who is trying to do the best not only for herself but for others and she is someone who challenges longstanding ideas of what is H/S and what is standard and accepted protocol. Not unlike Ludwig Guttmann.

No one wants to have their independence curbed.

Why can’t airlines have a dedicated helper? Like an airline employed carer who would be assigned to a specific disabled flyer? There must be some way forward.

Why can children be allowed to fly alone with a dedicated airline staff member who look after them and not disabled folks?

Anyhow…thinking again…

S
xx

14

Morning all,

Well, this is an emotive subject. I would like to give you my thoughts as someone who is disabled herself but also has inside knowledge of the airline business. I just want to say a BIG THANKYOU to George. Your words about cabin crew are much appreciated. You are so right. Joe public does assume that cabin crew are airheads, trolley dollies. They are in fact highly trained and I don’t know many people who could do their job. They have to pass a three day course every year to retain their licence to fly, just like pilots. They are trained in how to communicate with disabled passengers (if they have communication problems).

The CAA states that disabled, elderly or the young cannot sit near an emergency exit, for obvious reasons. There have to be able bodied people sitting there. I don’t suppose anyone would have problems with that?

Cabin crew are food handlers, therefore they cannot, and I personally would not expect them, to help people with their toileting requirements. If a person needs help getting to the toilet etc, then they must have another person with them. I again think that is reasonable.

Unfortunately, I do not know of any airlines that have disabled toilets. On most planes tho, there should be a bigger toilet for use by parents when changing their infants. That would give disabled people more space to move around in, tho still not big enough for two people. Always ask if they have a toilet for changing infants and use that one.

Some people have made sone very good suggestions but I don’t think any of them will come into effect, especially at the moment when money is tight. The amount of cabin crew on every flight will have been pared down to the legal requirements, there just are not enough crew on board an airplane for one to look after one particular passenger. As a crew they should have been informed that they have passengers will special needs and to keep an eye on them, assist them where they can, but they cannot devote themselves to that passenger alone. They are needed as a crew member to give a service to everyone on board. I wish it was different, but we are talking the real world.

Regards the wheelchair companies who provide wheelchair assistance at the airports. They are usually a separate Company from the airline. The airline has to alert the Company to the fact that they will need so many wheelchairs when they arrive at the airport. So many airlines are vying for too little wheelchairs. This means that there is often a wait at the arrival airport for the wheelchair assistance. This is not the fault of the airline and not the fault of the poor person who arrives (late) with the wheelchair. Again, they need more wheelchairs, the Companies’ fault, not their employee. These poor people get short shrift often times.

My advice would be. When travelling tell the Company as soon as you know. Give them a heads up what you need.

It is far from a perfect world I know. It is not discrimination in my view, it is just how it is and we have to learn ways of dealing with it. There is a lot that could be learned by the travelling companies about what disabled people need. But it always comes down to money.

I find that if I stay pleasant and friendly, usually that is what I get back.

Hope this helps.

Thanks George again.

Anne

15

Hiya

They already have something called Unaccompanied Minors where a young person is given to an Airline Staff Member at check-in. They then take the minor down to the aircraft and handed over to the Cabin Crew. When they reach the destination they are given to another airline staff member who makes sure they are given to the correct person meeting them. This is a service free or should I say included in the price of the fare I believe.

Very rarely there are accompanied minors that cost mega bucks that are paid by the parents.

Someone has to pay for your suggestion of the airline supplying carers. If they did it would only be put on the price of every ones ticket. I can see Ryan Air doing that.

Gx

16

Lol, Ryan Air raise prices? Charge customers for the air they breath? Never :wink:

17

Cynic!

That nice Mr O’Leary is more likely to charge for outside seats. (And if he could, he would)

Geoff

18

lolololol

He actually took the mick out of the lady who was charged a very large sum because she had not printed off her boarding passes, he could have just kept quiet but noooooooo he had to comment on her stupidity.

As someone pointed out, if you fly with budget airlines you can’t really complain about what you get. Or don’t get.

S.

19

hiya

i have regularly flown with ryanair-no issues at all! we even got vouchers for food when we were 24hrs delayed! depends how u view things i suppose-to kids and i it was an enexpected adventure involving a free flight to ireland and back cos we couldnt fly direct to prestwick. yes-the kids were with me at that time.

*sigh. shouting and getting irate helps no-one. going on an unexpected free adventure is brill!

ellie x

20

Hello everyone.

I believe the incident involving Ms Sophie Morgan has not been clearly explained. Her Travel Agent passed on wrong information to the airline. Based on the information received, the airline requested Ms Morgan to be accompanied by a travel partner.

It remains unclear if the Travel Agent took initiative and passed on wrong information, or there was miscommunication between Ms Morgan and the Travel Agent.

I am very familiar with the issue, being the one who reported easyjet to the CAA and DG MOVE for their restrictions on carriage of PRMs.

Much has changed since. These changes intevened in February 2012. Passengers like Sophie Morgan have been able to fly solo on easyjet since.

I think it is out of line to accuse the airline in this incident. Like I suggested in an article earlier today, Ms Morgan has all the rights to question the professionality and training of the travel agent.

Like some pointed out in posts above, passengers traveling under WCHC SSR coding, in plain English completely immobile, need to be accompanied. This is a safety requirement of EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency. Unfortunately, these passengers cannot be assisted by cabin crew in case of an emergency evacuation because of workload assignments to each individual flight attendant.

Please remember that in order to receive airworthiness certification, an aircraft must be evacuated within 90 seconds from completion of the emergency landing. One can only imagine the existing workload for each flight attendant in such event.

Finally, yes some modern aircraft, like the Airbus A330 have disabled toilets.