Ryanair left me to carry my disabled wife onto plane, claims holidaymaker

Wheelchair-bound Jo Heath, 54, had warned the budget airline she would need assistance boarding the plane when she booked her flight from Luton to Brest, France.

But the Ambulift device used by the airport did not arrive and flight staff told the couple it was Ryanair policy to leave passengers who could not get aboard themselves.

Jo Heath with husband Paul: Ryanair staff refused to help Jo onto a flight - because of health and safety rules

Rather than miss their holiday by waiting three days for the next flight, husband Paul, 53, slung his wife over his shoulder and braved the steps alone.

Mrs Heath, from Northampton, said the whole experience was humiliating and distressing.

She said: ‘It was quite a dangerous thing for Paul to attempt. If he had slipped over or dropped me God knows who would have helped us out.

‘I was scared and very embarrassed by it and you could see other passengers were starting to get a bit ratty. I had done everything I needed to for Ryanair to get me on the plane.

‘They failed in their duty of care for a customer.’

Ryanair staff apologised for not being able to help because health and safety laws prevented them from physically lifting a passenger up the steps.

Mr Heath, a motorsport engineer, said their policy of abandoning disabled passengers was a breach of antidiscrimination laws.

‘My main gripe is that Ryanair will just leave without you because they consider you an annoyance,’ he said. ‘I accept being treated like cattle, being barged about and having no facilities when you fly with them because it’s cheap.

‘But I don’t accept not being allowed on a flight that you’ve already paid for.

‘I’m sure refusing to help a disabled person like this is illegal under the Disability and Discrimination Act.

‘I asked all the Ryanair staff to help me but they wouldn’t.

‘I even asked a ground porter who refused – all because of health and safety. It was ridiculous.’

Daniel de Carvalho, a spokesman for Ryanair, blamed Servisair, the handling agent at Luton Airport which provides assistance for disabled passengers.

He said: ‘The provider at Luton airport did not have sufficient staff available to provide assistance.’

However the couple received a voucher for £100 credit from Ryanair.

They believe this is tantamount to the budget airline accepting responsibility for the incident on June 21.

In a letter to the couple, Servisair has expressed sincere apologies for their inconvenience.