TV’s Sophie trapped on jet as airport staff take away her wheelchair
EasyJet are investigating incident 2003 – wrote: “Stuck in ambulift. No apologies. Only rude staff.”
Mr Gardner’s ordeal happened after a flight from Ethiopia to Heathrow on Saturday.
At the time, he tweeted: “I am so utterly sick of Heathrow Airport ground staff ‘losing’ my wheelchair. Over 70 mins after landing back from Ethiopia I’m still stuck on an empty plane while they try to find it Just when is UK’s premier airport going to stop treating disabled passengers this way?”
Heathrow have apologised to the reporter, who lost the use of his legs after being shot in a terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia in 2004.
The airport explained that when Mr Gardner landed at the London airport, his wheelchair was mistakenly taken to the terminal instead of to the plane door because it had been mislabelled.
But airport chief John HollandKaye said that disabled passengers who are left stranded will not get compensation.
On Sunday, he spent an hour with Mr Gardner at Heathrow as the journalist explained the problems disabled passengers face at airports. Mr Gardner tweeted to say these included lifts failing to turn up and wheelchairs getting taken off into the terminal.
He said more thoughtful attitudes were needed towards disabled travellers.
Mr Holland-Kaye admitted: “Ninety minutes is too long to stay on a plane and we need to work better with the airline and handlers to make sure that does not happen.” EasyJet were contacted for comment about Ms Morgan’s plight yesterday.
Last night a Gatwick spokesman said: “Gatwick apologises unreservedly to Sophie Morgan for this incident which is completely unacceptable and falls far short of the level of service we expect for our passengers.
“This incident is subject to an ongoing investigation which is being dealt with as a priority.”