The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is still trying to get Ryanair in court over its alleged £18 wheelchair charge, but the airline is denying responsibility.
DRC chairman, Bert Massie said: “It’s outrageous that Ryanair are forcing disabled people to pay for something so vital. Disabled people shouldn’t have to pay more than anyone else for the right to travel.”
The DRC is claiming that Ryanair and BAA are in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act, which states that a disabled person cannot receive less favourable treatment than a non-disabled person.
BAA claims that DRC does not have a case against them. A BAA spokesperson told TravelMole: “BAA doesn’t actually charge anyone for wheelchair use. We have been attached to this case in what we see as a misunderstanding of the responsibilities of airlines as opposed to airports.”
The spokesperson said that it was BAA’s responsibility to provide wheelchairs for disabled passengers until they check-in, after which the airline takes over.
Ryanair is also claiming that it doesn’t charge for wheelchairs. In a statement the carrier said: “In fact Ryanair provides full assistance to wheelchair passengers free of charge, and at cost to the company”.
In a seemingly contradictory statement, the airline admitted that disabled passengers paid for wheelchair use at four of its airports (Luton, leeds-Bradford, Gatwick and Stansted), a charge paid directly to a wheelchair service provider, not to Ryanair.
A DRC spokesperson told TravelMole that it was questioning Ryanair’s defence because although other airlines, including no-frills airlines, use wheelchair service providers, they cover the cost of it instead of passing the cost on to the passenger.
Read our previous stories:
03-Sept-2003 Ryanair in trouble over wheelchair charges
