AerLingus discrimination to wheelchair users

juno10353

My friend was due to fly to Lanzarote with Aer Llingus on 10th Sept for 7 days. Own customised wheelchair. 168 kg. Yesterday told weight restriction and has now had to cancel holiday. Surely she should have had option of weight increase payment etc. NOT ACCEPTABLE. DISCRIMINATION

OU812

juno10353 wrote: »

My friend was due to fly to Lanzarote with Aer Llingus on 10th Sept for 7 days. Own customised wheelchair. 168 kg. Yesterday told weight restriction and has now had to cancel holiday. Surely she should have had option of weight increase payment etc. NOT ACCEPTABLE. DISCRIMINATION

QFT

It’s really not discrimination (even typing in caps doesn’t make it so).

There’s any number of reasons why an airline might place a restriction (weight or otherwise) on human or other cargo.

Did your friend notify them in advance of their requirement prior to booking the flight?

Perhaps you’d be better off contacting them directly to enquire as to any possible mutually satisfying alternatives.

ted1

There limit is 120 kg for wheelchairs. While it sucks that your friends is over this limit. It certainly is not discrimination.

Is it possible to rent a borrow a chair if a lesser weight
Or could you dissemble the chair and bring 48Kg worth of the chair checked luggage ?

What type batteries does it have ? They may also be banned.

juno10353

Apologise for capitals. No offence intended.

Tour operator advised 3 months ago. Regular traveller with this operator. New customised chair. Details given on booking. Option of paying extra weight over 120kg not available.

Portsalon

juno10353 wrote: »

My friend was due to fly to Lanzarote with Aer Llingus on 10th Sept for 7 days. Own customised wheelchair. 168 kg. Yesterday told weight restriction and has now had to cancel holiday. Surely she should have had option of weight increase payment etc. NOT ACCEPTABLE. DISCRIMINATION

"Wheelchair Requirements

Aer Lingus will notify your departure and arrival airports that you’ve requested a wheelchair and assistance from check-in to the boarding gate. We’ll also let them know if you’ve requested a carry on service, which is for passengers who are completely immobile and can’t make their own way to their seat. Passengers must be able to sit upright in the seat.

If you’re travelling with your own wheelchair, it travels free of charge, however we need to know if it’s battery operated. Passengers aren’t permitted to check in or carry on board any wet-cell batteries, either in wheelchairs or as spare batteries. For the purposes of loading onto and transport aboard our aircraft, wheelchairs must be capable of disassembly into constituent parts weighing not more than 120kgs each."



https://www.aerlingus.com/travel-information/special-assistance/disability-assistance/

ted1

juno10353 wrote: »

Details given on booking. Option of paying extra weight over 120kg not available.

Double check. You could pay for extra baggage allowance and put it in a box.

juno10353

Chair is customised electric and non foldable. Can only be dismantled by expert. Weighs 168kg. Tour company informed on booking. Regular traveler with tour company. Exceptions have been made
https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/4444579/dwts-rte-karen-byrne-wheelchair-aer-lingus/

Why not allow payment for extra weight as with baggage, that is what I find discriminatory

Portsalon

juno10353 wrote: »

Exceptions have been made:
https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/4444579/dwts-rte-karen-byrne-wheelchair-aer-lingus/

Ouch! Seems to me that Aer Lingus management have dug an enormous hole for themselves by agreeing to that "exception" - presumably in an attempt to avoid some bad PR!

Shame that she's cancelled and that it's so close to departure date, as I'd say that Joe Duffy would have gone to town on this one!

ted1

juno10353 wrote: »

Chair is customised electric and non foldable. Can only be dismantled by expert. Weighs 168kg. Tour company informed on booking. Regular traveler with tour company. Exceptions have been made
https://www.thesun.ie/tvandshowbiz/4444579/dwts-rte-karen-byrne-wheelchair-aer-lingus/

Why not allow payment for extra weight as with baggage, that is what I find discriminatory

Could be operational restrictions, such as Max loading of crane that places chair in the hold, or similar.

The link says a few Kgs over your friends chair is about 8 stone over

juno10353

True Ted1

Seems crazy that in the 21st century a 165kg custom wheelchair can not be carried.

Thread can be closed .... thanks all

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