Thomsonfly ban disabled woman from flying at Robin Hood airport
10.09.05
A disabled Sheffield woman was banned from a Thomsonfly plane from Robin Hood Airport - because the airline doesn't have enough staff to help her in an emergency.
Jacquie Stubbs was stopped from travelling alone from Doncaster's Robin Hood Airport to Jersey after airline bosses said they don't employ enough flight attendants to evacuate her from the plane in an emergency.
She condemned the airline as 'discriminatory' and added: 'I have flown by myself to New Zealand and America and many European countries on different airlines. This is disgusting and blatant discrimination against disabled people - it's not like they have the same policy for other people who may need assistance like parents with young children.'
Miss Stubbs was one of thousands of customers who booked bargain flights with the holiday airline shortly before the airport opened in the spring. She says she checked the terms and conditions internet page before she booked and was only told of the problem a day before she was due to fly.
'I just thought I would phone to check and I was transferred to three different people before being told I couldn't fly. They told me that it is policy that disabled people can't fly alone because they don't employ enough staff to help in the event of an emergency. They said that other low-cost airlines have the same policy. They never told me this when I booked,' she added.
In a letter, Thomsonfly apologised and said: 'In view of your concerns, may I explain that many airlines, including Thomsonfly charter and schedule services, have this policy. It is purely for safety reasons. In the event of an emergency, all crew would have their designated roles and it would be impossible for a crew member to be able to look after one customer at this time.'
A Thomson spokesman said: 'The Thomsonfly.com website states that a carer is required to travel with any passenger who has a mobility impairment which is sufficiently severe that the person would be unable to assist in his or her evacuation of the aircraft in the event of an emergency.'
'Thomsonfly complies with the Department of Transport 'Access to Air Travel for Disabled Passengers' code of practice and our policy for wheelchair users is set with their personal safety in mind.'
Miss Stubbs, who is a non-executive director of Sheffield South West Primary Care Trust, booked a new flight from Nottingham East Midlands Airport with rival low-cost airline bmibaby.
