Wheelchair user left on a plane for almost two hours after landing

3 Jun 2025 • 6:23 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner, who uses a wheelchair, was left waiting for more than 90 minutes for assistance after all other passengers had disembarked a 13-hour flight from Singapore to Heathrow.
  • Gardner criticised Heathrow Airport for its poor service towards disabled passengers, questioning why they should receive worse treatment than others, and noted similar incidents have occurred in the past.
  • According to Gardner, a Wilson James operations manager informed him that two of the five medical lifts had gone out of service overnight, contributing to the delay.
  • A Heathrow spokesperson apologised for the delay, citing a medical emergency that reduced available vehicles, and offered to cover the cost of Gardner's additional waiting time for his car as a gesture of goodwill.
  • Gardner praised the British Airways crew for their support, with the captain refusing to leave the plane while Gardner was still on board.

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