from the BBC:
A disabled man who was forced to pay to use a wheelchair at Stansted Airport has won his case against Ryanair.
Bob Ross, 54, argued he was being charged extra because he is "not able to walk to the check-in desk".
The Disability Rights Commission took the case against Ryanair on his behalf last month.
Mr Ross has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and later developed arthritis, so walking is very painful.
It seems to me that, what's happening, is that disabled passengers are being charged simply because of their disability
Judge Crawford Lindsay QC ruled that Ryanair acted unlawfully by not ensuring that a wheelchair was provided free of charge for Mr Ross to use at Stansted Airport.
He was awarded £1,336 in compensation.
The community worker from Islington in north London had told the court he usually used crutches, but the 1km distance he had to travel through the airport meant he had to use a wheelchair.
In February 2002, he was charged £18 for the use the chair when he travelled between Stansted and Perpignan, France - a trip he makes regularly.
He was also charged £18 for the wheelchair on his return to Stansted a month later.
This made it more expensive than his £20 return flight to France.
'Felt insulted'
Neither the airline or the airport were prepared to be responsible for the wheelchair charge.
Mr Ross told BBC Breakfast: "My feeling is that I pay the same price as anybody else and it seems to me I'm being surcharged because I'm not able to walk to the check-in desk and I feel that's wrong.
"I felt insulted, to be honest, and I know other people have used the word disgusted simply because it seems to me that, what's happening, is that disabled passengers are being charged simply because of their disability."
Too right too!!
BB
