Wheelchair-bound woman writes angry message to Ryanair for leaving her behind at Dublin airport
But the airline says that the fashion student turned up to the gate late and that she hadn't requested wheelchair services
A Irish wheelchair user who had been booked on a plane to the UK for London Fashion Week has spoken out about the moment she was left in tears after her Ryanair flight left without her.
Niamh Herbert, a fashion student at Trinity College in Dublin, claims she was told by cabin crew at the boarding gate in Dublin Airport that they didn’t have time to help her onto the plane, asking if she could climb the steps instead.
Niamh then alleged that when she told staff that she couldn’t climb, they told her that she would have to be left behind, although the airline has since claimed that Niamh did had requested any wheelchair services in advance.
Speaking about her experience in a Facebook post, she said: “We arrived at the boarding gate, at which point I was told I would have to wait 15+ minutes to be assisted on with my wheelchair - I was annoyed, but I understand delays.
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“I got very angry then when the air host asked me would I be able to climb the stairs instead of waiting ‘for easiness sake’.
“I kind of hear these stupid things every day, but nothing prepared me for the shocking ableism I was about to experience.
“The captain called the boarding desk and said he understood the situation, but he was about to take off, no exceptions."
Nimh then revealed that she told her two friends to go on without her, while the “Ryanair air hostesses left me sitting in the middle of gate 104 crying my eyes out.”
Niamh, who also founded the charity Disability and I, then tweeted the low-cost airline to call them “a disgrace” and said that she was only placed on a later flight by staff after she threatened a lawsuit.
Ryanair did acknowledge Niamh’s tweets at the time, responding: “Hi Niamh, Our crew at Dublin Airport are providing assistance. Please advise if you need any further information. LR”
But the airline has also claimed that their hands were tied as Niamh showed up late for her flight and had not specified a wheelchair service.
They told Sun Online: “While we regret any inconvenience, this customer arrived at the boarding gate 13 minutes before the flight was due to depart and had not booked any wheelchair services.
“Our crew provided full assistance and as a gesture of goodwill, transferred this customer on to the next available flight, free of charge, and the customer flew to London Stansted.
“Thousands of passengers of reduced mobility travel with Ryanair on a weekly basis without issue and any customers who require wheelchair assistance are asked to book it in advance.”