On a recent flight aboard AlbaStar Airlines, Jennie Barry of London, England had a humiliating, entirely preventable experience. AlbaStar is a privately owned Spanish airline for scheduled commercial and charter flights.
Barry—who uses a wheelchair—released a video on her Twitter showing how she had to drag herself down the aisle of a plane to get to the bathroom after the flight staff left the accessibility tool 'aisle wheelchair' at the gate.
The flight attendants would not help Barry. One is overheard saying she should think about using a nappy—also called a diaper—for future flights.
The video can be seen on Barry's Twitter, @WheelieGoodLife.
\u201cSHOCKED AND DISGUSTED WITH ALBASTAR AIRLINES - told me I should wear a nappy on board as I\u2019m disabled and they don\u2019t have an aisle chair. This is what I had to resort to. Please share - This isn\u2019t acceptable!!! #disabled #wheelchair #AlbastarAirlines\u201d— Jennie Berry (@Jennie Berry) 1663698292
Barry booked a plane ticket with the understanding there would be accessibility accommodations—standard in the airline industry—available on the plane.
Upon arriving at the plane and embarking, Barry found a key accessibility tool—a wheelchair narrow enough to go up and down the aisles of an airplane—was left at the gate. This plus not being allowed to get a seat closer to the bathroom, led to the circumstances of the video.
Reactions included outrage and empathy. But a lot of ignorance, ableism and prejudice about people with disabilities was also shared online.
There was valid outrage on Barry's behalf.
\u201c@WheelieGoodLife Where was the duty of care? Every single crew member should be sacked for sitting back & watching this happen, absolutely disgusting how they behaved\u201d— Jennie Berry (@Jennie Berry) 1663698292
But then there were a lot of people asking "why couldn't the person filming help?"
\u201c@WheelieGoodLife Why didn\u2019t the person filming help you? It\u2019s shocking what the airline did but I presume the person filming knew you?\u201d— Jennie Berry (@Jennie Berry) 1663698292
People replied that was not the point.
\u201c@MattHisted1 @WheelieGoodLife He probably couldn't physically carry her the whole way. That's not even the point though. Disabled people shouldn't have to rely on bringing help. It's rediculos not to have an aisle chair available.\u201d— Jennie Berry (@Jennie Berry) 1663698292
\u201c@WheelieGoodLife People asking about why X person with the camera didn't help - you do realise that not all disabled people have partners and that we do travel alone? Who's supposed to help you then when planes don't have basic assistive equipment? The problem isn't why didn't X help...[1/2]\u201d— Jennie Berry (@Jennie Berry) 1663698292
\u201c@WheelieGoodLife I am totally shocked at the comments on this thread (it\u2019s enough to make me want to come off Twitter entirely). 1. This is being filmed to raise awareness. 2. No it wouldn\u2019t have been safe, or easier, for the woman\u2019s partner to \u2018carry\u2019 (or god forbid, drag) her down the aisle.\u201d— Jennie Berry (@Jennie Berry) 1663698292
People noted the incident as an example of how facing the world with disabilities means confronting every day a system inhospitable and sometimes downright cruel.
\u201c@stedraws @WheelieGoodLife @TheLastLeg Unfortunately it\u2019s actually incredibly common around the world. My friend had to wear a diaper on a 14 hour flight from Vancouver to Sydney because the airline doesn\u2019t keep aisle chairs on board.\u201d— Jennie Berry (@Jennie Berry) 1663698292
\u201cDisabled people are constantly mistreated and no one blinks an eye towards the things they have to endure.\n\nWe live in a system not built for them that refuses to accommodate.\u201d— Jeff Waldorf AKA *Acid Dragon* #DragonSquad (@Jeff Waldorf AKA *Acid Dragon* #DragonSquad) 1663767463
\u201cI have faced the humiliation of dragging myself along the floor of an aeroplane with people watching. I have been tipped out of an aisle chair being pushed too fast hitting a chair&landing face down.I have also had some lovely customer service. The anxiety of the lottery is real!\u201d— Helene Raynsford (@Helene Raynsford) 1663794404
\u201cThe fact that inaccessibility isn\u2019t uncommon when flying while Disabled. MIA transfer chairs, ableist crew, planes are small to sell the most tickets, crew breaks equipment bc they\u2019re under time constraints to keep planes moving. $\u201d— \ufffc (@\ufffc) 1663776869
Thanks to Barry for sharing her story.
Shame on not just Albastar Airlines and the flight crew on this plane, but on a system that turns accessibility accommodations into a lottery of how people are (mis)treated going from point A to point B.
Do better.
House Oversight Committee
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