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Disabled passenger death was ‘only a matter of time’
Specialist for people with disabilities, Limitless Travel has slammed the aviation industry’s lax standard of care and investment in disabled traveller assistance.
It follows the death of a passenger with restricted mobility after exiting an aircraft at Gatwick.
“This is a very upsetting and truly troubling incident – the vulnerability and helplessness that man must have felt being left by himself on a plane is sad,” said Angus Drummond, CEO and founder of Limitless Travel.
“In all honesty, it’s not surprising and is commonplace.”
“As shocking as it is, it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. Does it take a death for airports to start taking action and for people to really wake up to the needs of disabled people?”
Drummond lamented the lack of investment in special assistance teams with special assistance contracts often going to the cheapest bidder.
“This means that the special assistance team are chronically understaffed and underpaid – having to deliver a service they are just not equipped to do.”
“With increased shortages at airports it will once again be disabled people who are left last, are an afterthought for all and have to suffer most. For them, disabled people are a hindrance,” Drummond added.
Drummond cited Spain as an example of a well-run special assistance system which is ‘well-staffed and well-paid.’
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