Passenger slams Ryanair over disabled father’s treatment
27.05.08
A passengers has complained after a flight with her 82 year old disabled father in to Bournemouth Airport was 'a humiliating and frustrating experience', the Daily Echo reports.
Lisa Aitken and her father Dennis Yorke, 82, who needs a wheelchair after having a back operation and suffering from a stroke, travelled on a Ryanair flight from Malaga after visiting her sister earlier this month. However, their journey on May 9 turned into a nightmare after a booking Lisa had made for a specific seat on the plane was not upheld and the pair were made to pay extra for priority boarding despite being last to be seated.
Lisa, 43 told the newspaper that the final straw came when they landed at Bournemouth Airport, and were told there were no trained staff to operate the ambulift needed to get her father off the plane even though it had been pre-booked.
She told the Echo: ‘It was so humiliating for him. Eventually they had to carry him off which caused him more pain. The most upsetting thing was the reaction of the staff who found it all to be a big joke and they were openly laughing about it while he was in tears.'
‘There was one young lady who was very apologetic but, as for the rest, you just don't expect this behaviour. I have received an apology from Ryanair about the seats but it's not good enough. It shouldn't have happened in the first place.’
A spokesperson for Bournemouth Airport told the newspaper: ‘The responsibility for wheelchair passengers rests with the airline and this service is currently carried out on their behalf by their handling agents. We have been sent a copy of Mrs Aitken's letter to Servisair and we have spoken to them to ensure they respond to her as quickly as possible.’
Tony Brunskill, spokesperson for Servisair, added: ‘We regret the situation and do apologise to the two passengers involved. All of our staff are trained to use the lift but there was a mechanical failure with it on that day, which is why the passenger had to be carried off.’
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