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Mills attacks BA for her wheelchair 'humiliation'
By Ed Harris, Evening Standard Last updated at 12:45pm on 06.12.06
Heather Mills has accused British Airways of picking on her after she claimed she was forced to walk to her plane at Gatwick airport.
The former model, who has an artificial leg, said she was humiliated after staff brought her a wheelchair instead of an electric buggy.
She was overheard telling staff: "Have you got it in for me? This is vile. Why are you doing this to me? Don't you know I only have one leg? Why are you treating me like this?"
Ms Mills, 38, who is locked in a bitter divorce battle with Sir Paul McCartney, checked in for a 7am flight to Brussels.
She had reportedly requested a wheelchair when she booked her flight, but apparently expected to get a ride to the departure gate in an electric buggy.
"A source near the BA desk, whose staff were handling her flight with SN Brussels, said: "Heather's face fell when she saw the wheelchair. She was mortified. Eventually, after getting a few things off her chest, she decided to walk to the plane."
The source added: "It created a bit of a fuss which a fair few people witnessed." BA said it had not received a complaint.
Reader views (16)
You just don't give up, do you Heather? Drop the mortified look and deal with it!
- Lynn, Goshen, USA
If she walked to the plane then she did not need a wheelchair or an electric buggy. I`m just surprised she didn`t decide to crawl there! Heather, most of us see through you and your sickening abuse of your disability.
- Ellie, Hemel Hempstead, UK
Well when my mother travels she requests a wheelchair and it never has bothered her. Ms Mills apparently didn't convey exactly what she wanted. Last time I checked airlines are not mind readers.
- Andrea, Los Angeles, USA
Not hard to see why Macca is divorcing this high maintenance publicity seeking nobody.
- James Ritchie, London, UK.
Power to the paraplegics!
Go Heather!
- Douglas Bader, UK
Most normal tax paying adult citizens, Buki don't throw temper tantrums, publicly berating an individual who's just trying to do their job. I don't believe anyone has said Heather committed a CRIME against humanity. That's a bit over the top. As for most of these troubles she has, she's brought them on herself.
- Suzanne, Houston
What is so humiliating about being in a wheelchair? Surely the fact that the airport were providing a wheelchair and someone to push it is enough?
- Karen, Paddington
Sounds like she went hopping mad.
- Keith, West Smithfield
Tell me - what is so humiliating about being in a wheelchair?
- Claire, Essex
I am still at a loss as to what crime Heather has commited against humanity. Barbara, how can you talk about another human being like that? Bed pan? She has aright to request anything like normal citizens that pay their taxes. Please give the woman breathing space, she has enough troubles already.
- Buki, London
Just what you need Heather, more publicity.
- Squiz, Islington
As a former BA check-in agent I can say that the choice of wheelchair or buggy is made for them due to availablity. It's run by a seperate company and at terminal4 Heathrow, there are not that many buggies available or staff either. Also I would like to add the people that are most deserving and can bearly able to walk at all, are often forced to wait becuase undeserving people take up the the wheelchairs or buggys that this company use.
- Louise, London
Maybe she wanted an antique wheelchair to go with her antique bedpan. If she could walk to the airplane she obviously didn't need the wheelchair. Her handicap is not her leg, it is her attitude.
- Barbara, NY USA
Maybe she'll think twice about cutting off her limbs now...
- E1, UK
She was not forced to walk, she just showed her true personality!
- Michael, London
We have a disabled (16) and was never offered the electric on any flights out of Heathrow (BWee/Alitalia/Bmi) -- we always get the wheelchair and that's always a humiliating hassle for us all.. Let's see how Gatwick reacts when we fly out to Brasil (via Madrid) on Iberia on 16th Dec...
- Mrs. L Grey, London
