New law makes air travel painless for disabled, elderly within European Union

27 July, 2007:

A new law has come into effect requiring air travel companies and airports to offer the disabled and elderly passengers free assistance when flying within the European Union.

The European commission has said that, under the new rules, airlines and holiday companies will no longer be able to refuse to fly people because of their disability.

Robert Evans, Member of Parliament (Labour), who pressed for the adoption of the measures by the European Parliament, said seven million people would benefit from the new law. “It is incredible that people with reduced mobility have suffered neglect and maltreatment in airports as recently as 2007,” Evans added.

According to him, some of the worst cases that he has come across include both low-cost and conventional carriers.

Evans cited the following unhappy instances among those brought to his attention:

Nine blind and partially sighted people were sent out off a Ryanair flight because there were too many disabled people on the plane.

A limbless woman was refused permission to travel alone by Air France, one of whose employees said: “A torso cannot possibly fly on its own.”

Ryanair passengers travelling from Stansted were charged for wheelchairs to take them from check-in to the aircraft.

The European Disability Forum (EDF) has urged disabled passengers and those traveling with them to make use of the new regulations and complain to the authorities concerned if they feel that their rights have been violated.

Some campaigning organizations, while welcoming the move, are looking forward to 2008, when further measures would be implemented.

Tom Pey, director of public policy, Guide Dogs, said, “We are looking forward to the introduction of the requirement that will prevent airlines from refusing to carry guide dogs in the cabin with their owners, which will be implemented in July 2008.”

Other measures that will come into force in 2008 include ensuring that passengers get a seamless service from check-in to the departure gate, as well as a designated point of arrival.

Airport employees will soon have to undertake disability awareness training.

People will be entitled to compensation if wheelchairs or other equipment are damaged in transit. Till now, disabled passengers have had some protection from existing disability rights legislation, but this did not apply to aircraft or across international frontiers.

Disability rights campaigners have long complained about the lack of facilities, negative attitudes, and essential equipment being damaged by airlines.

In a survey, charity Leonard Cheshire had found that nearly two-thirds of disabled people had struggled to board a flight, and over one-thirds had experienced negative attitudes from staff on aircraft or at airports.