Wheelchair Case Against Airline

December 2, 2003
The Scotsman - news from Scotland

Wheelchair Case Against Airline

A disabled man forced to pay to use a wheelchair at Stansted Airport began a
landmark court case today against the airport and budget carrier Ryanair.

Bob Ross, 54, is claiming the £18 fee he handed over is discriminatory and
no-one should have to shell out for such a service.

The community worker from Islington, north London, has suffered from
cerebral palsy since birth which makes it difficult for him to walk, and
later developed arthritis.

He was charged £18 for the use of a wheelchair when he travelled from London
to Perpignan in France in February last year and again on his return journey
a month later.

Mr Ross told Central London County Court that he rarely used a chair,
preferring crutches or sticks instead but that he finds walking extremely
painful.

The 1km journey through the airport was too much for the regular traveller
to manage, the court heard.

“The distance at Stansted is such that it is totally impossible for me to
get from the check-in desk to the aeroplane without using a wheelchair,” Mr
Ross said.

Stansted Airport and low fare airline Ryanair, with whom Mr Ross was flying,
disagree over which of them should foot the bill.

Ryanair could absorb the cost of paying for passengers’ wheelchairs by
adding just 2p extra to the price of each of its flights, according to the
claimant’s legal team.

It is currently the only airline in the UK that does not provide wheelchairs
free of charge to those that need them at Stansted.

Jason Galbraith-Marten, for Mr Ross, said: “There is more at stake than just
one particular journey. This is very much a test case to decide whether Mr
Ross ought to pay for a wheelchair himself or if not himself, who ought to
pay for it.”

He described Ryanair as a “no frills airline” which keeps down costs by
having planes on the tarmac for no more than 25 minutes.

Mr Galbraith-Marten said: “Ryanair adopted a position suggesting that use of
wheelchairs was a matter of choice ... a frill akin to sandwiches or
newspapers, and Ryanair does not provide that frill.”

He said, however, that there had been some change now in this attitude by
the airline.

Mr Ross said of using a wheelchair: “It’s not a matter of choice as far as
I’m concerned. It’s necessary. I find travelling in a wheelchair
uncomfortable.”

He added that he would rather not use one.

“It presents me with difficulties that people who are able to move around
without using a wheelchair walk into me, trip over me and treat me that I’m
a package rather than a human being. I find that quite distressing
actually.”

Mr Ross has now bought a wheelchair to avoid the cost as Ryanair does not
charge for helping passengers who have their own.

The airline denies it provides any service at the airport and that it is
provided by Stansted Airport Limited, a subsidiary of BAA.

The airport in return argues that post check-in the responsibility for
helping passengers reach the plane lies with the airline.

The case is being brought on behalf of Mr Ross by the Disability Rights
Commission, which is looking for the removal of the £18 charge and
unspecified damages.  


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