Hi everyone
I’m new on this forum. I wanted to get some thoughts and advice on behalf of my cousin who has cerebral palsy and has just suffered the worst kind of discrimination by BA.
He regularly flies to and from Egypt where he has family. Yesterday he was supposed to fly back from Cairo but BA staff refused him travel on the basis that “last time it took half an hour to board him” and they “could not take this risk again”. This despite the fact that we had requested level 3 assistance for him.
The most upsetting aspect however was the way he was treated by BA. In Cairo airport only individuals travelling are allowed through to the check in desk. So his family had to wait outside while the special assistance porter wheeled him through. Apparently the BA checking manager failed to acknowledge him at all when he tried to speak to him, choosing instead to speak over him to the porter before he was summarily dumped with his luggage at the general area. The BA staff even refused to come and discuss with his family claiming that they were too “busy” and they had “plane to board!”. To compound the matter, we were also told that under BA terms and conditions we had no right to a refund. My cousin was completely traumatised. He felt humiliated and dehumanised by the whole incident. His sister, used to defending him during childhood against school yard bullies, collapsed into tears of frustration as she felt helpless to protect him against this corporate bully.
We have already spoken to BA and they are defending their stance. I have also spoken to the EHRC who advised that the transport is an exemption within the bounds of equality laws meaning that BA may not have broken any laws.
I am wondering if anyone has any similar experience or can advise on this please. It seems unjustifiable discrimination and it frustrates me that BA don’t seem to be taking the matters seriously.
