EasyJet blocks disabled athletes from flight over lack of wheelchair space

EasyJet blocks disabled athletes from flight over lack of wheelchair space

EasyJet have blocked six disabled athletes from boarding a flight due to a lack of wheelchair space. Italy's national powerchair football team was left stranded at Rome's Fiumicino airport after the airline refused to allow the athletes to board a flight bound for Glasgow. The squad had been due to travel on an 11.55am service on Monday to compete in a warm-up tournament ahead of the World Championships in Argentina. According to the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), the Italian Paralympic Powerchair Sport Federation (FIPPS) had secured authorisation from the airline back in April to carry all six disabled athletes along with their daily mobility wheelchairs and six specialist match wheelchairs. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Despite this prior agreement, the team was turned away at the gate. The airline's justification, according to the team, was that the Airbus A320 operating the route could accommodate a maximum of five wheelchairs, one fewer than required. EasyJet allegedly proposed that one athlete remain behind in Rome while the competition wheelchairs would be dispatched on a different flight to Edinburgh rather than Glasgow. The CIP branded this suggestion "an offence to sporting merit, competitive preparation and the respect due to a national team that represents Italy on the world stage". FIPPS said it had contacted easyJet before the departure date to reconfirm the arrangements originally agreed in April, but received no reply. It is understood the airline became aware of the situation on Sunday and upgraded the aircraft to create additional hold space, but maintained it could not transport all 12 wheelchairs. Italy's civil aviation authority responded by launching a formal investigation to establish whether EU regulations safeguarding the travel rights of disabled and mobility-impaired passengers had been breached. The authority said it would examine the booking assistance procedure and communications with easyJet to determine the ca