From landing time 3 hours to disembarking for special assistance passengers

Malcolmleonard73

Our delayed landing in Manchester was over 3 hours, I have a compensation claim with tui for this, however, afterlanding it took another 3 hours to get an ambilift to get special assistance passengers off the plane, my husband then had to push me thru to security and baggage as no assistance staff available.  Extremely distressing to say the least. Can I claim anything for this?

k3lvc

Distressing though this is I'm not sure you'll get very far with TUI - as per their online guide "Airport operators within the EU are responsible for helping anyone with a disability or mobility difficulty, and that includes sensory impairments and learning difficulties.

As the tour operator, we're responsible for passing your requirements on to the airports before you travel so the necessary arrangements can be made. Each airport will have a team of people dedicated to providing assistance"

As it sits currently the majority of airports are short of these people who, post furlough, have either found better roles or are stuck in a queue to have their airport security passes re-activated

I suspect TUI will show a landing time that means no compensation payable and will pass you to airport (with whom you have no 'contract') and as such you receive a gesture from them for your inconvenience. Depending on the airport and your social media abilities/reach that may be increased by publicly shaming them as others have done

onashoestring

Sorry to hear of your experience. There is no specific compensation regulations for this situation. However that doesn’t mean it is acceptable or that you shouldn’t complain 

• According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the UK's regulator, the responsibility lies with the airport to provide assistance to passengers when they are on the ground. That includes retrieving wheelchairs from the hold and returning them to passengers who have landed.
• The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) recommends you take your complaint directly to the airline or airport
• If you remain dissatisfied, you can refer your complaint to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body which provides alternative methods, such as mediation and conciliation, instead of going to court

You may be interested in this recent article where Frank Gardner expressed  his frustration at being left on a plane at  Heathrow Airport 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/disability-61497830

Thers is also a podcast on Access All about this https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0c7zpsp


and another similar experience at Gatwick https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/jun/06/disabled-woman-left-on-plane-at-gatwick-airport-for-an-hour-and-a-half

It’s not acceptable that this is happening so frequently at airports. I hope that you get a satisfactory resolution from the airport. 

Malcolmleonard73

Thank you. Would you know if time calculated from wheels on tarmac or doors open? 

daveyjp

End of flight is when the engines are turned off at the arrival gate.

garlieston

daveyjp said:

End of flight is when the engines are turned off at the arrival gate.

Arrival time is first door opening