In a landmark ruling the Appeal Court has found that Ryanair and Stansted Airport are both responsible for providing a free wheelchair service to disabled travellers. The ruling will have an impact on every British airport and airline and will ensure disabled people receive the same standard of service as non-disabled travellers.
The Court of Appeal found that both airline and airport were responsible for ensuring Bob Ross, a disabled passenger, could move from the check in desk to the aircraft at Stansted Airport. The judges found that Ryanair had discriminated against Mr Ross for charging him for the use of a wheelchair and that Stansted Airport had failed to ensure that discrimination did not occur on its premises.
Mr Ross has been supported in his case against Ryanair and Stansted Airport by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC).
Mr Ross, from London, was charged £18 for a wheelchair when he flew with Ryanair from Stansted Airport in 2002 to Perpignan in France. Mr Ross, who has cerebral palsy and arthritis, is unable to stand for any considerable time and needs to use a wheelchair when moving through the crowds and queues at Stansted.
Bob Ross said today: "It's been clear to me all along that I was treated unfairly by having to pay more to fly than non disabled people.
Chairman of the Disability Rights Commission, Bert Massie said today: "This decision sends a signal to every airport and airline that disabled people will no longer put up with a second class service. And that they have the firm backing of the law to ensure that fair treatment prevails."
The DRC knows of thirty disabled people who were charged for a wheelchair under similar circumstances to Mr Ross. Stansted Airport and Ryanair now need to ensure these passengers are compensated for having to pay the wheelchair charge.
The legal case was taken under Part 3 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. The DRC believed that by making a disabled person pay for a wheelchair, Mr Ross was treated less favourably because of his disability.