EasyJet accused of discrimination
The firm is in court today over legal action by a disabled passenger who was made to leave a plane
LOW-COST airline EasyJet appears in a Paris court today accused of discriminating against a disabled passenger.
A 39-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair was told to leave a Paris-Nice plane because she was unaccompanied – despite having made the outward journey without a problem.
This followed her being asked by a crew member if she was capable of going to the toilet unaided, to which she replied she was not.
Several passengers volunteered to “accompany” the woman, however the crew said the accompanying person must be recorded before check-in.
The complainant, who says she felt humiliated by the firm’s behaviour, is supported by the Association des Paralysés de France in her legal action, which accuses EasyJet of “breaching the right to free movement”.
However, the firm says it was just acting according to British and European rules. Its lawyer said the woman had stated she was independent, whereas it was found that she was not sufficiently so to travel unaccompanied.
The incident dates to 2010, and the case follows a similar one in January, in that case dating to 2009, where the firm was fined for refusing access to a flight to three unaccompanied people in wheelchairs, saying they posed a security threat. EasyJet has appealed.
