Wife and I are elderly and our arthritis varies so sometimes we need help and sometimes not. About seven years ago we had a flight from Gatwick to Murcia. We requested the assistance to the gate and were told by the check-in desk to speak to the chap behind the desk in the Departure Lounge and he would arrange for us to go on the buggy. We did this and he said "If you don't turn up at this desk in a wheelchair or on crutches then, as far as I am concerned, you don't need assistance." He then turned to the next in line. I expect he got a few lazy ones but this was a bit much we thought. We were living in Spain at the time so didn't take it any further at the time and it was months later when we were next back in UK.