Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson Condemns Airline Failures After Wheelchair Destroyed on Flight
Paralympic champion Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson has called proposed fines for airlines failing disabled travellers a "significant opportunity" to improve accessibility. The independent crossbencher, whose own wheelchair was destroyed by an airline, told the House of Lords that existing processes for disabled passengers seeking assistance or compensation for damaged equipment are "a little bit too ad hoc".
Damaged Wheelchairs and Dismissive Responses
Baroness Grey-Thompson detailed how her wheelchair, lost on a flight from Geneva to Birmingham, was returned "several weeks" later via Dublin "in two pieces". She recounted a staff member asking if she had "ever tried to walk?" after its disappearance. Upon its eventual return, she was advised to "duct tape it back together". She also recalled an incident where an airline immediately replaced damaged racing chair wheels with a more expensive set, highlighting a lack of consistent damage assessment and clear accountability.
Lord Christopher Holmes of Richmond, a Conservative peer and blind former Paralympic swimmer, urged for specific disabled passengers' rights to be directly enshrined in the Bill, rather than relegated to future regulations. He argued an "inclusive-by-design statutory duty" was necessary to truly enhance protections for all passengers, including older and younger travellers, citing the draft's current lack of specific safeguards.
Aviation Minister Keir Mather affirmed the Bill would "modernise" UK aviation, enhancing safety standards and strengthening the Civil Aviation Authority's enforcement capabilities. Lord Hendy, Transport Minister for the House of Lords, confirmed the legislation would cover both airlines and airports, acknowledging the "serious shortcomings" in air travel for disabled passengers that the government aims to rectify.
