RyanAir lose court case
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Tea green International
Posts: 563
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Can I book a wheel chair for my flights
It is a long way to walk, and I think I would prefer to be pushed in a wheel chair.
So is it possible to book the wheel chair on the internet, and thus included in the price, or must I book it by telephone and pay a non internet charge of say £10.00.
So is it possible to book the wheel chair on the internet, and thus included in the price, or must I book it by telephone and pay a non internet charge of say £10.00.
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Mid Atlantic
Posts: 471
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If there was so much of a problem with Ryanair and as mentioned earlier travelling through Dublin - How come the hosting of the Special Olympics in Dublin last summer didn't result in thousands of court cases?
Perhaps, given the well publicised attitude of FR to disabled pax, most chose to travel on other carriers?
You tell us.
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: uk
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
All airlines, with the exception of Ryanair, up until yesterday anyway, absorb the cost of providing wheelchair assistance through the airports. To provide a passenger with wheelchair assistance at their departure airport, arrival airport and then at the departure and arrival airports on their return costs upward of £80GBP. This isn't a cost that is easily abosrbed. Some have made comments that BAA should pay the cost - how can they afford to do that on the 'rates and fees' that their low cost monopoly customers pay. No the customer shouldn't pay, neither should the airport - but still not sure about the 50p/p/p levy - publicity i'm sure!
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: England
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Section 23 of the Disability Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of disability in providing access to or use of premises that the public can enter or use.
The purpose of this Act really to encourage us all to provide access, goods and services in such a way that disabled people can be full members of our community. It's clearly not always about making physical changes to buildings to do this (eg It's not possible to reduce the wingspan of planes to allow the gates to be moved closer together!).
It such circumstances the only practical solution is to provide additional support services and equipment for the disabled. To charge for these services directly is against the spirit, if not the letter of the Act... and so it jolly well should be.
So who should pay? According to discussion on TV (Ok not the best source) Ryanair had to pay because airlines are responsible for getting pax from the check-in to the gate. Apparently BAA is only responsible for getting pax to the check-in. That sounds strange to me but if that is their contractual arrangement with BAA then it would seem that they are obliged to pay up.
The only remaining issue is the impact on ticket price.. Ryanair say it's 50p, but, according to the TV, a dissabled group calculated it at 2p. Eitherway it's not even small beer.
Overall I think Ryanair have handled this case very badly, what were they thinking. 50p may be significant to them but not to pax. Many Ryanair flight are practically free - it's the tax that's the problem.
The purpose of this Act really to encourage us all to provide access, goods and services in such a way that disabled people can be full members of our community. It's clearly not always about making physical changes to buildings to do this (eg It's not possible to reduce the wingspan of planes to allow the gates to be moved closer together!).
It such circumstances the only practical solution is to provide additional support services and equipment for the disabled. To charge for these services directly is against the spirit, if not the letter of the Act... and so it jolly well should be.
So who should pay? According to discussion on TV (Ok not the best source) Ryanair had to pay because airlines are responsible for getting pax from the check-in to the gate. Apparently BAA is only responsible for getting pax to the check-in. That sounds strange to me but if that is their contractual arrangement with BAA then it would seem that they are obliged to pay up.
The only remaining issue is the impact on ticket price.. Ryanair say it's 50p, but, according to the TV, a dissabled group calculated it at 2p. Eitherway it's not even small beer.
Overall I think Ryanair have handled this case very badly, what were they thinking. 50p may be significant to them but not to pax. Many Ryanair flight are practically free - it's the tax that's the problem.
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: last time I looked I was still here.
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Flat Spin,
Perhaps your brain is in one most of the time. That is a rather high-handed opinion, if you don't mind me saying. There are 1000's of people who now travel, who could not afford it before. That may or may not be a good thing. ATC congestion is contibuted to by the rapid rise in a/c numbers; faster than the infrastructure can adapt, but that's another topic to be debated later.
However, there are some wonderful areas in Europe, which is going to expand shortly with even more beautiful places to visit, where the providers of "proper services" do not wish to fly to, and couldn't make a profit if they did. These little bolt holes, away from the hussle & bustle of big rush rush cities, are havens of peace and tranquility. LCC's are the only way in or out of them, so long may they thrive.
Sadly, though, they are responsible for importing that terrible English disease called house inflation. There are parts of France and other countries where the local economy has been helped by the visitors, on the one hand, and been badly hit by ludicrous house prices being out of reach of the next local generation, on the other. The holiday home syndrome hit places in UK like The Lake District and Cornwall, & Wales just as badly. That was caused by the dreaded Motorway. If the car and red flag still existed, or the only way into the national parks was by slow trains, then this would have been prevented. Sadly, the future marched stalwartly towards us and Canute perished.
Perhaps your brain is in one most of the time. That is a rather high-handed opinion, if you don't mind me saying. There are 1000's of people who now travel, who could not afford it before. That may or may not be a good thing. ATC congestion is contibuted to by the rapid rise in a/c numbers; faster than the infrastructure can adapt, but that's another topic to be debated later.
However, there are some wonderful areas in Europe, which is going to expand shortly with even more beautiful places to visit, where the providers of "proper services" do not wish to fly to, and couldn't make a profit if they did. These little bolt holes, away from the hussle & bustle of big rush rush cities, are havens of peace and tranquility. LCC's are the only way in or out of them, so long may they thrive.
Sadly, though, they are responsible for importing that terrible English disease called house inflation. There are parts of France and other countries where the local economy has been helped by the visitors, on the one hand, and been badly hit by ludicrous house prices being out of reach of the next local generation, on the other. The holiday home syndrome hit places in UK like The Lake District and Cornwall, & Wales just as badly. That was caused by the dreaded Motorway. If the car and red flag still existed, or the only way into the national parks was by slow trains, then this would have been prevented. Sadly, the future marched stalwartly towards us and Canute perished.
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A lot of " disgusted" emotion here rather than realism.
The key to low cost operations,- and the low fares to customers which have enabled huge volumes of people to fly, or fly more often , than ever before,- has to the provision of a basic service at the lowest possible price. All additional services, including meals etc are , reasonably enough, charged extra.
In this case the passenger was allegedly paying a £ 10 fare,- a very different proposition to a full service carriers offerings. The provision of wheelchairs is expensive regardless of who is organising them and it is not unreasonable for this to be recharged to the passenger. The alternative is to use a full service carrier and pay the all inclusive fare which covers meals, wheelchairs, drinks, whatever. The passenger has the choice.
This type of UK Court decision and now EU legislation giving massive compensation for any kind of disruption, regardless of reason, weather included, indicates that the courts do not understand or support the principle of differential pricing for different products and will move to stifle price competition. The traditional carriers, LH, AF, BA etc benefit/ are protected ( surprise?) and the low costs, of whom they are terrified, and the customers lose.
The key to low cost operations,- and the low fares to customers which have enabled huge volumes of people to fly, or fly more often , than ever before,- has to the provision of a basic service at the lowest possible price. All additional services, including meals etc are , reasonably enough, charged extra.
In this case the passenger was allegedly paying a £ 10 fare,- a very different proposition to a full service carriers offerings. The provision of wheelchairs is expensive regardless of who is organising them and it is not unreasonable for this to be recharged to the passenger. The alternative is to use a full service carrier and pay the all inclusive fare which covers meals, wheelchairs, drinks, whatever. The passenger has the choice.
This type of UK Court decision and now EU legislation giving massive compensation for any kind of disruption, regardless of reason, weather included, indicates that the courts do not understand or support the principle of differential pricing for different products and will move to stifle price competition. The traditional carriers, LH, AF, BA etc benefit/ are protected ( surprise?) and the low costs, of whom they are terrified, and the customers lose.
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Linkoping Sweden
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
30 + years ago when I worked in checkin at LHR. the BAA provided wheelchairs and a wheelchair pusher. As it was usually easier to check-in the pax's own wheelchair rather than to load it at the gate, it was usual practice to use an airport chair to take the pax to the gate.
The BAA built STN so that you need to be a marathon runner to get to most gates. The BAA controls the airport, makes the rules and should, like they used to, provide wheelchairs for passengers that need them out of the vast profits they are making.
I belive that FR does a good job providing a reasonable service at a very low price. There is no way that they can afford to cover the £18 out of a £20 fare
The BAA built STN so that you need to be a marathon runner to get to most gates. The BAA controls the airport, makes the rules and should, like they used to, provide wheelchairs for passengers that need them out of the vast profits they are making.
I belive that FR does a good job providing a reasonable service at a very low price. There is no way that they can afford to cover the £18 out of a £20 fare
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: IRELAND
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I cannot believe that Ryanair never mind any other company
would contest such a case. Not great PR, especailly when
the share price drops after a profit warning. Does Ryanair
have a commerical death wish?
I have no sympathy with Ryanair in this case and there
sh
te attitude? Is MOL going to do the equivalent of a Gerrald Ratner?
Bob Ross Well Done
would contest such a case. Not great PR, especailly when
the share price drops after a profit warning. Does Ryanair
have a commerical death wish?
I have no sympathy with Ryanair in this case and there
sh
te attitude? Is MOL going to do the equivalent of a Gerrald Ratner? Bob Ross Well Done
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Wor Yerm
Age: 68
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It's about time GypoAir had a few knock backs. That pikey has been able to get away with the rest of the industry subsidising his operation (which, considering how open it is, is as much to do with piss poor management in other organisations - airports, local government, airlines etc.) to their detriment. It's about time that stopped. With any luck, Ryanair knocking might become a fashionable National (or even International) pastime and I for one will not mourn it's passing. But I'd better dream on...
But subsidies are not always bad. We all subsidise those less fortunate than ourselves, we do it when ever we pay for anything. I really don't mind doing so for a whole variety of reasons, two of which are firstly I can afford it and secondly maybe I might need help one day. But to hope for a humane attitude from MOL is really asking too much!
Cheers me Dears.
pikey has been able to get away with the rest of the industry subsidising his operation (which, considering how open it is, is as much to do with piss poor management in other organisations - airports, local government, airlines etc.) to their detriment. It's about time that stopped. With any luck, Ryanair knocking might become a fashionable National (or even International) pastime and I for one will not mourn it's passing. But I'd better dream on...But subsidies are not always bad. We all subsidise those less fortunate than ourselves, we do it when ever we pay for anything. I really don't mind doing so for a whole variety of reasons, two of which are firstly I can afford it and secondly maybe I might need help one day. But to hope for a humane attitude from MOL is really asking too much!
Cheers me Dears.
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: England
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
> The key to low cost operations,- and the low fares to
> customers which have enabled huge volumes of people to fly,
> or fly more often , than ever before,- has to the provision of a
> basic service at the lowest possible price. All additional
> services, including meals etc are , reasonably enough, charged
> extra.
You can make that argument just about everywhere.
The point is that we (through our elected governments) have decided that the provision of this kind of service to the disabled is no longer allowed to be considered an "additional service".
We have done this to encourage more disabled people to lead full lives, reduce their dependency on the state and increase their contribution to society - and that includes making it possible for them to travel.
You could extend your argument to weight. Why should I pay the same as you? I weigh less than you do fatty. If you want an airline that doesn't charge fat people more you can always choose another airline.
> customers which have enabled huge volumes of people to fly,
> or fly more often , than ever before,- has to the provision of a
> basic service at the lowest possible price. All additional
> services, including meals etc are , reasonably enough, charged
> extra.
You can make that argument just about everywhere.
The point is that we (through our elected governments) have decided that the provision of this kind of service to the disabled is no longer allowed to be considered an "additional service".
We have done this to encourage more disabled people to lead full lives, reduce their dependency on the state and increase their contribution to society - and that includes making it possible for them to travel.
You could extend your argument to weight. Why should I pay the same as you? I weigh less than you do fatty. If you want an airline that doesn't charge fat people more you can always choose another airline.
Last edited by cwatters; 1st Feb 2004 at 00:01.
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 545
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ryanair Lose Court Case
One or two questionable arguments here guys! You CAN'T refuse to provide a free wheelie as part of a £10 ticket because it's only about one pax in approx 550 who needs one. Now, the use for a few minutes of a wheelie for that one genuinely disabled person equates to £28 (allegedly!) against at least £5,500 ticket sales. Is that really asking too much? One wheelie loan per 3 flights from a company making MILLIONS of pounds every month?
PLEASE forget your prejudices! No Ppruner objects to the pretty 16 year old girl who has lost a leg in a car accident.... but sterotyping inevitably happens and many of you visualise old and unattractive seniors largely unable to help themselves. Dear God how I would love to see the blue of the sky and the green of the grass like I could before '97. You are not Nazis engaged in ethnic cleaning...you are intelligent professionals in a SERVICE industry. I have endured one of the most distressing days for many years reading some of these postings.... anyone care to lift the tone with one or two positive suggestions? Cheers, partially sighted and partially lame ex 737 driver...age 52 and a half. bm
PLEASE forget your prejudices! No Ppruner objects to the pretty 16 year old girl who has lost a leg in a car accident.... but sterotyping inevitably happens and many of you visualise old and unattractive seniors largely unable to help themselves. Dear God how I would love to see the blue of the sky and the green of the grass like I could before '97. You are not Nazis engaged in ethnic cleaning...you are intelligent professionals in a SERVICE industry. I have endured one of the most distressing days for many years reading some of these postings.... anyone care to lift the tone with one or two positive suggestions? Cheers, partially sighted and partially lame ex 737 driver...age 52 and a half. bm
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Near to Prestwick,Scotland
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Piltdown Man,
I hope that you never have the misfortune to end up on a low income and not be able to afford fly anywhere ........
Also wishing the demise of an airline thus resulting in many people in the aviation industry losing their jobs and livelyhood is a bit harsh isnt it ?
For the forum.......
Yes, Ryanair have not won many friends from this court case...... But hopefully lessons will be learnt..........
I hope that you never have the misfortune to end up on a low income and not be able to afford fly anywhere ........
Also wishing the demise of an airline thus resulting in many people in the aviation industry losing their jobs and livelyhood is a bit harsh isnt it ?
For the forum.......
Yes, Ryanair have not won many friends from this court case...... But hopefully lessons will be learnt..........
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Inside the M25
Posts: 2,404
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I agree (again) with those people who say that provision for a wheelchair for somebody who can't walk is not a "frill" - neither is provision of a braille safety instruction card for somebody who can't see (yes, airlines do have them - or at least, mine does!). People who think that it is a "frill" to care for people who have disabilities are living in the wrong century - or possibly the wrong historical outcome of the second world war......
Guest
Posts: n/a
The underlying cause of this situation is that Ryanair are running an operation that is truly focused on low cost, not individual customer service, in a society where politicians pass legislation that is expensive for airline businesses to implement and where those same businesses are considered a legitimate target for specific taxation, which one could argue discriminates against the lower cost carriers.
This is great when you are dealing with the majority of the population, who are fit enough to cope.
When you come up against the minorities, the low cost focus gets you into trouble.
Although the cost per ticket of providing wheelchairs is said (by an organization with an interest) to be only a couple of pence per pax, that equals £3.78 for a full 738. So what you may ask, well multiply that across 200 flights per day (for sake of argument) and that becomes £756, which when scaled up across 365 days is £275,940.
If you have built your organizational ethos on driving cost out of the business, this is anathema.
Now if you consider that the UK government taxes your Ryanair flights heavily, because the tax is arbitary, as a manager you would resist any further expenses that impact on your business model 'low cost.'
I am sure that the company took legal advice before resisting the case and they lost. We shall see if there is an appeal. O'Leary's way of answering Tim Sebastian (On BBC Hardtalk) was to discuss complaints at the aggregate level and to make it clear by implication that the company is focused at the aggregate (24M pax) level, rather than at the individual. No doubt in this case, Ryanair believes that it can sustain growth even if some are offended and choose other carriers.
The paradox in this situation is that we, as a society, want to have low cost travel and we also elect governments who bring in legislation that drives up the cost of travel.
Anyone who watcher O'Leary on Hardtalk recently could see that he has no interest in individual cases, just the overall numbers, which are based on minimum cost operation - that is why the disabled passenger scenario is difficult for Ryanair.
I am not trying to be an apologist for Ryanair nor to offend other posters such as BoeingMEL, who have posted with sincerity and passion. I am just pointing out that the situation is not as black and white as some have said it is.
This is great when you are dealing with the majority of the population, who are fit enough to cope.
When you come up against the minorities, the low cost focus gets you into trouble.
Although the cost per ticket of providing wheelchairs is said (by an organization with an interest) to be only a couple of pence per pax, that equals £3.78 for a full 738. So what you may ask, well multiply that across 200 flights per day (for sake of argument) and that becomes £756, which when scaled up across 365 days is £275,940.
If you have built your organizational ethos on driving cost out of the business, this is anathema.
Now if you consider that the UK government taxes your Ryanair flights heavily, because the tax is arbitary, as a manager you would resist any further expenses that impact on your business model 'low cost.'
I am sure that the company took legal advice before resisting the case and they lost. We shall see if there is an appeal. O'Leary's way of answering Tim Sebastian (On BBC Hardtalk) was to discuss complaints at the aggregate level and to make it clear by implication that the company is focused at the aggregate (24M pax) level, rather than at the individual. No doubt in this case, Ryanair believes that it can sustain growth even if some are offended and choose other carriers.
The paradox in this situation is that we, as a society, want to have low cost travel and we also elect governments who bring in legislation that drives up the cost of travel.
Anyone who watcher O'Leary on Hardtalk recently could see that he has no interest in individual cases, just the overall numbers, which are based on minimum cost operation - that is why the disabled passenger scenario is difficult for Ryanair.
I am not trying to be an apologist for Ryanair nor to offend other posters such as BoeingMEL, who have posted with sincerity and passion. I am just pointing out that the situation is not as black and white as some have said it is.
Join Date: May 2002
Location: LGW - Hub of the Universe!
Posts: 978
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A lot of " disgusted" emotion here rather than realism.
FYI the Airport Authorities in the UK do not provide the wheelchair service to the airlines. Airlines are responsible individually for financing their wheelchair/disabled pax mobility arrangements.
In BA's case, both at LHR and LGW, we use OCS ("One Complete Solution"). The service is paid for by BA, who absorb the costs into the ticket prices. This has always been the case with all airlines until Messrs. Easyjet and Ryanair came along thrying to "cherry-pick" customers.
Given a level playing-field - NO unfair subsidies or reduced fees at airports, MUST carry disabled pax at no additional charges, MUST supply Unaccompanied Minor service, MUST supply assistance for Blind/Partially-Sighted pax and Pax with Hearing impairment - then we will see which airlines survive!!! Oh....and it is usual for an airline to continue flying a route up to the end of the timetable period (so that a "service" is maintained) and not axing it "with immediate effect" because it's not making money!
Ryanair has effectively ruined the European short-haul route network by adopting practises which the scheduled carriers are unable to copy. Their fares are, in reality no cheaper (apart from the couple of "sprats" thrown to catch the "mackarel") and no "service" is offered.
There's nothing wrong with Free-Enterprise and a little healthy competition, but I can't stand to see this"no-frills" carrier extracting the urine sample!!!
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Bit nosey aren't you
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Boeing MEL: 1 in 550!! That'd be the properly disabled pax; not the people that can't be asked to walk. EK average about 7 wheelies per flight. Almost all are taken by passengers travelling to or from destinations on the sub-continent.
I don't think anyone has any problem with the disabled or infirm using a wheelie to get through the airport. However, it starts to erk one a little when after a 8 hour flight you sit around waiting for the wheelies to arrive with a perfectly healthy, fit looking passenger. After about 15 minutes or so it is amazing how often the Lazarus effect bites and they spring up grasping the heavy duty free bag and almost sprint for their next gate.
If you have a flight from the far east the pax almost inevitably walk off very quickly in an orderly fashion and you almost have to force help upon some very frail looking pax.
I am not trying to be discriminatory in anyway and I am not a bigot but I am stating the picture that I see on every flight. Frustrating as it is, it doesn't excuse O'Leary from making some extra cash out of the disabled.
Ghost
I don't think anyone has any problem with the disabled or infirm using a wheelie to get through the airport. However, it starts to erk one a little when after a 8 hour flight you sit around waiting for the wheelies to arrive with a perfectly healthy, fit looking passenger. After about 15 minutes or so it is amazing how often the Lazarus effect bites and they spring up grasping the heavy duty free bag and almost sprint for their next gate.
If you have a flight from the far east the pax almost inevitably walk off very quickly in an orderly fashion and you almost have to force help upon some very frail looking pax.
I am not trying to be discriminatory in anyway and I am not a bigot but I am stating the picture that I see on every flight. Frustrating as it is, it doesn't excuse O'Leary from making some extra cash out of the disabled.
Ghost
Guest
Posts: n/a
My wife is disabled.She wasn't born that way, nor has she courted disaster or welcomed her condition. Five years ago she was a hard working professional dedicated to her career as a senior personel manager.
Previously, she worked as the senior staff sister in a busy A & E ward until "nurses back" necessitated a change in direction.
I believe she understands people particularly those under great stress for one reason or another, and she has great empathy with you professionals working in the front line of the aviation business and having to deal routinely with the public.
Her disability (Parkinson's amongst other incurable conditions) is not visable to the casual observer, but has left her unable to walk more than 50 yards or stand for longer than five minutes but worst of all has cost her a career and the loss of mobility which most people take for granted.
After the unpalatable truth finally hit home, we made a conscious decision to live our lives as fully and rewardingly as was possible and this included travelling.
Now days a car is a must, together with ownership of a wheelchair, and short trips, viz. mainland Europe, are carried out using car and ferry.Longer journeys to Australia,USA, etc., have been successfully completed with exemplary service from the long haul carriers.We are not stupid and are aware that the cost for this service has been effectively included in our ticket price.
So, at last, I reach the latest Ryanair faux pas!
This issue of who pays for a chair at Stanstead (and others A/P's probably) is not a new thing and has been bubbling for some time, and I believe that Ryanair state somewhere in their T and C's that this is a service which is not provided free of charge. Now, someone has had the backing to challenge Ryanair and has been successful. Great!
Ryanair, displaying childish petulance, retaliate with the threat of a 50 pence surcharge per passenger.Again, great - who cares?
Sounds to me like a result. Ryanair fares remain unbelievably low,comensurate with their level of service, but wheelchair passengers are not penalised.
Finally, to those posters who appear not to live in the same world as me, a few words.
If you wish your views to be taken seriously or treated with respect I suggest writing them in grammatical English (with or without spelling mistakes) and save the txt speak for the chat lines. Failing that you could always buy or borrow a Skoda.
Some posters seem to suggest that some disabled passengers are faking their condition and milking the situation.They should pull their weight a little more and pay for any service received.They may be surprised to know that my wife totally agrees with their views.She is mortified at the attention she gets and horrified at the problems her condition causes other people.This worries her to the extent that she will walk,climb stairs and stand in line whenever possible. I, however, am only too aware just how much this small statement of independance is seriously affecting her declining strength and ability to cope with simple things.......like breathing. The loss of self esteem suffered by the disabled, (and the need for constant attention from other people is a major factor in this loss of independance), is a situation which the normal able bodied passenger cannot begin to understand.
May I humbly suggest that before making rash statements or reaching over hasty judgements a little thought and consideration is used.
Previously, she worked as the senior staff sister in a busy A & E ward until "nurses back" necessitated a change in direction.
I believe she understands people particularly those under great stress for one reason or another, and she has great empathy with you professionals working in the front line of the aviation business and having to deal routinely with the public.
Her disability (Parkinson's amongst other incurable conditions) is not visable to the casual observer, but has left her unable to walk more than 50 yards or stand for longer than five minutes but worst of all has cost her a career and the loss of mobility which most people take for granted.
After the unpalatable truth finally hit home, we made a conscious decision to live our lives as fully and rewardingly as was possible and this included travelling.
Now days a car is a must, together with ownership of a wheelchair, and short trips, viz. mainland Europe, are carried out using car and ferry.Longer journeys to Australia,USA, etc., have been successfully completed with exemplary service from the long haul carriers.We are not stupid and are aware that the cost for this service has been effectively included in our ticket price.
So, at last, I reach the latest Ryanair faux pas!
This issue of who pays for a chair at Stanstead (and others A/P's probably) is not a new thing and has been bubbling for some time, and I believe that Ryanair state somewhere in their T and C's that this is a service which is not provided free of charge. Now, someone has had the backing to challenge Ryanair and has been successful. Great!
Ryanair, displaying childish petulance, retaliate with the threat of a 50 pence surcharge per passenger.Again, great - who cares?
Sounds to me like a result. Ryanair fares remain unbelievably low,comensurate with their level of service, but wheelchair passengers are not penalised.
Finally, to those posters who appear not to live in the same world as me, a few words.
If you wish your views to be taken seriously or treated with respect I suggest writing them in grammatical English (with or without spelling mistakes) and save the txt speak for the chat lines. Failing that you could always buy or borrow a Skoda.
Some posters seem to suggest that some disabled passengers are faking their condition and milking the situation.They should pull their weight a little more and pay for any service received.They may be surprised to know that my wife totally agrees with their views.She is mortified at the attention she gets and horrified at the problems her condition causes other people.This worries her to the extent that she will walk,climb stairs and stand in line whenever possible. I, however, am only too aware just how much this small statement of independance is seriously affecting her declining strength and ability to cope with simple things.......like breathing. The loss of self esteem suffered by the disabled, (and the need for constant attention from other people is a major factor in this loss of independance), is a situation which the normal able bodied passenger cannot begin to understand.
May I humbly suggest that before making rash statements or reaching over hasty judgements a little thought and consideration is used.
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: North of the border
Age: 71
Posts: 383
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Am I right in stating that if you come to the airport in a your own wheel chair, no charge is applied. If however you come to the airport without a wheel chair and you request one to be supplied a charge of £18 is applied.
If this is the case surely on most occasions disabled passengers will use their own wheel chair as it will not solely be needed to get to the aircraft but will always be needed to ensure mobility of that person.
While not meaning to be hard here, surely if you do not need a wheel chair for everyday use and expect someone else to provide one, you would expect a payment to be required.
If this is the case surely on most occasions disabled passengers will use their own wheel chair as it will not solely be needed to get to the aircraft but will always be needed to ensure mobility of that person.
While not meaning to be hard here, surely if you do not need a wheel chair for everyday use and expect someone else to provide one, you would expect a payment to be required.