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Disabled passenger 'humiliated' as he had to drag himself up coach stairs

Home> News

Published 10:56 28 Feb 2023 GMT

Disabled passenger 'humiliated' as he had to drag himself up coach stairs

"I was left with no option but to bum shuffle onto a coach"

Daisy Phillipson

Daisy Phillipson

A disabled passenger was left 'humiliated' after having to drag himself up a set of coach stairs and make his own way to his seat.

Spencer Watts, who is paralysed from the waist down, was flying back to the UK from a family holiday in Lanzarote on 17 February.

But when his Ryanair flight to Bristol was unexpectedly diverted to Birmingham, he claims the airline failed to accommodate his wheelchair.

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The dad-of-two let the cabin crew know he needed an accessible coach for his journey home, and Watts was reassured that this had been arranged.

However, the 27-year-old's family were disappointed to find that no suitable transport was available when they got to arrivals.

Shocking footage shows the moment Watts, who works as a sales advisor, had to drag himself backwards up six steps before lifting himself to the seat using his arm strength.

Speaking about the incident, Watts, from South Devon, said: "My assistance at the airport had been booked a month in advance.

Spencer Watts had been on holiday with his family.
Kennedy News and Media

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"They were fully aware that there was someone on that aircraft in a wheelchair that needed assistance on and off the aeroplane.

"I was left with no option but to bum shuffle onto a coach.

"I [felt] so embarrassed and humiliated in terms of having to do that in a crowded audience of people.

"Pressure sores are a big thing for us. Being put in that kind of situation, where I have to shuffle across a bare floor, there's obviously a very high risk of me getting a pressure sore and becoming bedbound for at least a few months.

"It's not a good thing. It's not exactly a comfortable manoeuvre for me to have to drag myself along the floor."

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He went on to say that his son is also 'severely autistic', and so 'change is a massive thing' for him.

"When he's seeing his dad bum shuffling on a coach, a child worries about the fears of anything could happen," he added.

"So he's like, 'Dad, what if there's a fire on this coach, how are you going to get off?' It was a concern for my whole family, it wasn't just me.

"The upset, and the uproar for my family, all of us, wasn't needed and could have been avoided really easily. I would not fly with Ryanair again until I get an apology from them. They failed their duty of care."

The passenger wants Ryanair to apologise.
Kennedy News and Media

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But a Ryanair spokesperson has claimed that the responsibility is with Birmingham Airport.

They said: "This flight from Alicante to Bristol (17 February) diverted to Birmingham due to adverse weather conditions at Bristol Airport.

"Special assistance at Birmingham Airport is managed a third-party provider – not Ryanair.

"As the flight was not planned to arrive at Birmingham Airport, special assistance at Birmingham Airport had not been pre-arranged.

"However, the crew of this flight requested special assistance upon arrival at Birmingham Airport, which the provider at Birmingham Airport failed to provide."

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LADbible has contacted Birmingham Airport and Ryanair for further comment.

Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Topics: UK News, Health, Travel

Daisy Phillipson
Daisy Phillipson

Daisy graduated from Kingston University with a degree in Magazine Journalism, writing a thesis on the move from print to digital publishing. Continuing this theme, she has written for a range of online publications including Digital Spy and Little White Lies, with a particular passion for TV and film. Contact her on [email protected]

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@DaisyWebb77

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