Paralympic Champion Endorses Fines to Improve Disabled Air Travel
A Paralympic champion has expressed support for plans to impose fines on airlines that fail to adequately serve disabled travellers, calling it a "significant opportunity" to enhance flying experiences for wheelchair users.
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who experienced the loss of her wheelchair during a flight, addressed the House of Lords, emphasizing that "everything's just a little bit too ad hoc" when disabled passengers seek assistance or compensation for damaged equipment.
The proposed Bill, which received backing at its second reading, aims to introduce new regulations concerning flights, lost luggage, and price transparency.
Aviation Minister Keir Mather stated the Bill would "modernise" UK aviation and strengthen the enforcement powers of the Civil Aviation Authority.
Baroness Grey-Thompson Shares Personal Experience with Lost Wheelchair
On Tuesday, Baroness Grey-Thompson recounted how her wheelchair was lost on a flight from Geneva to Birmingham and was returned "several weeks" later via Dublin, arriving in "two pieces."
The Welsh independent crossbencher described the incident:
"When it became clear my chair was not there, I was asked by a member of staff, had I ever tried to walk?"
"Would I like to try to walk? No – can't walk."
She further explained that the airline attempted to return two sleeping bags to her, mistakenly claiming they were her lost property, despite the bags being clearly tagged to a different airport and another name.
Upon the wheelchair's eventual return, Baroness Grey-Thompson said:
"It had literally been cut in half and it was suggested that I might like to try and duct tape it back together, which didn't work."
Calls for Improved Damage Assessment and Accountability
Baroness Grey-Thompson also recalled other incidents where the wheels of her racing chair were damaged, noting that an airline "immediately jumped to replacing them" with a more expensive set.
The gold medallist Paralympian emphasized the need for better damage assessment and clearer accountability.
She highlighted the current challenges:
"A lack of data of when things go wrong – it's hard to know who to contact, who to complain to, how to resolve issues and actually even who has responsibility."
"This bill does present a significant opportunity to do something very different for disabled people."
Paralympic Peers Advocate for Stronger Legal Protections
However, Paralympic gold medallist Lord Christopher Holmes of Richmond urged that clearer disabled passengers' rights be explicitly written into the Bill rather than deferred to future regulations.
The Conservative peer, a blind former swimmer, warned that the draft lacked specific protections for disabled, older, and younger travellers.
He advocated for an "inclusive-by-design statutory duty" in law, stating it would "be a huge step forward" to enhance protections for all passengers.
Labour peer Baroness Theresa Griffin of Princethorpe shared her own experience of being left in airport "holding pens" and given colouring pencils while travelling to Strasbourg.
She inquired whether the Bill would apply to both airlines and airports. Lord Hendy, transport minister for the House of Lords, confirmed that it would.
Lord Hendy noted that peers had "spoke passionately" about serious shortcomings in air travel for disabled passengers, and the government was responding because "actually it doesn't accept that that's inevitable."
Government Commitment to Modernising UK Aviation
In an earlier statement, Minister Keir Mather said the new laws would modernise UK aviation and support the redesign of airspace to enable faster, more efficient flights, while "enhancing aviation safety standards and delivering greater passenger protections."
He added:
"We're proud of the strong, reliable experience our sector delivers day-in day-out for passengers and we are clear that no-one should be let down when they travel."
