Ryanair owes answers, not excuses!
Ryanair’s attempt to shift the blame onto the ground handling operator is unacceptable because it does not address the most important questions:
1. Has the airline launched an internal investigation into the specific incident?
2. Why was safety not considered at risk during two previous flights on 24 July with the same airline and the same mobility aid, while now the opposite is claimed?
3. Does Ryanair have a documented procedure for boarding wheelchairs, or is the pilot’s subjective judgement alone deemed sufficient?
4. Why was the mobility aid accepted by the ground handling operator as fit for boarding the aircraft, yet not permitted into the cabin?
5. Who determines the criteria for an “aggressive passenger” in Ryanair’s practice? In a previous case at Sofia Airport, a crying woman was classified as aggressive – what criteria were applied then? And in other similar situations?
6. What specific actions and measures were taken by Ryanair before the passengers were removed? Under Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air, removal of passengers from the aircraft is a measure of last resort, which may only be taken after all reasonable alternatives have been exhausted. The air carrier or its agent is obliged under the Regulation to make all reasonable efforts and to offer an alternative option to the family.
These are the questions Ryanair must answer clearly, concretely, and with documentary evidence before attempting to exonerate itself and evade responsibility. Who is at fault in this case will be determined by the competent Bulgarian authorities – not by the airline.
For this reason, an immediate investigation by the Directorate General “Civil Aviation Administration” has been ordered and is already under way. All facts and circumstances will be clarified, and the official decision of the competent authority will be announced next Friday.
In addition, and based on the information gathered so far, I will tomorrow refer the matter to the Commission for Protection Against Discrimination!
The Ministry of Transport and Communications remains firmly committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all passengers and to eliminating any unjustified barriers to the mobility of persons with disabilities.