Disabled schoolboy, 14, is now housebound after EasyJet forced him to remove wheelchair battery on flight home from Disneyland Paris

12 comments

1. It’s unfortunate but the pilot has to look after his passengers. There is a risk.

   No need for the lad to be stuck tho, the battery could have been shipped (air freight has the proper precautions in place for batteries, or even sent by truck and been there next day. Would have been a nice touch given the situation if easyjet had paid for and arranged it (although their terms and conditions probably cover them even if you ignore the kids needs its good pr).

   I wonder how the conversation with the pilot went, Im willing to bet there is more to the story. This could have been solved with a bit more thinking, and a bit less complaining. 

2. Pilots plane. Pilots rules. Bet there is more to the story tho

3. Pilot here, albeit not for easyJet.

   Batteries are Dangerous Goods.

   The guidance in our manuals is *extremely* clear about what kind of batteries for wheelchairs etc we’re allowed to carry, and the requirements for carriage, eg appropriate labelling.

   Whatever has happened in the past, if it doesn’t meet the requirements to be allowed on board – that’s Captains authority and they’re perfectly entitled to refuse to allow it to travel.

   If the battery isn’t suitable for transportation which easyJet are saying, then the real focus should be on how and why it was allowed on other flights in the past.

4. It issue is the inconsistent application of the rules; outbound acceptance and then inbound refusal.

5. Wait so the family was allowed to bring the battery to Paris but not back????

6. A battery does have wattage even if its dry! Bit odd, more to this story. Does sound like they didn’t have all the right documents for it to hand.

7. EasyJet could have set up a way to get it there, but as usual airline staff are useless fucks who don’t care. They literally crippled a kid that was already crippled, and on their way back from Disney on top of it.

   Step one, company literally sends a new battery same day. Step 2, if the kid flew to Paris on one of their jets, they prove their point and fire every last employee who was involved with letting them fly with the chair, from gate staff to cockpit crew since its so dangerous and that team put an entire flight at risk for their laziness.

   If this had been done on the way out of the country and the kid couldn’t fly to Disney, it would suck but also be on the family for not actually checking regulations. But clearly, one team said it was all good and another decided to take his mobility, meaning either one team was incompetent, one team crossed a line, or their policies allow for discretionary cruelty.

8. No common sense here. Pilot was being a d*ck. But I dont believe it’s that effing impossible to get another battery. I think the family is after a pay out.

9. ‘Parents Didn’t Read the Rules, Airline Treats Wheelchair Kid Normally” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

10. As someone who has flown several times with an electric wheelchair, the amount of questions you get asked during check in about the chair – weight, dimensions, especially about the battery type & voltage, should have been picked up then. Even then, we’ve had to disconnect the battery, and take it into the cabin with our hand luggage. 

11. > The mother said that a pilot complained there was no wattage on the batteries, despite the batteries not having wattage because they are dry not liquid.

    You give them the benefit of the doubt, then they say this shit

12. What I want to know is, why is this kid now “housebound” because he had to fly home without the battery for his powerchair? I’m sure they aren’t cheap, but I find it hard to believe it takes longer to source and fit a replacement battery than it must have taken to get this article to press.

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