I’m unable to walk and felt humiliated after TUI staff wouldn’t help – now they won’t pay compensation

 Q) I AM struggling to get compensation after TUI failed to pass on my disability needs.

I booked a trip to the Dominican Republic to treat my family in July 2019.

When I booked the trip, I told the agent I have mobility issues and would need special seating and assistance getting around.

But on the flight, I was put in standard seating and there was no ramp to help me get on and off, so it took a while for me to board.

Staff then wouldn’t let me use the toilet in the premium section, after being told to go there to avoid queuing.

The whole thing was humiliating and I was left in pain after the flight.

I feel I’m owed some compensation as my illness was not accommodated at all. Can you help?

Kevin Carter, Kingston, Surrey

A) Travelling can be a nightmare at the best of times, but if you have a disability, it can be extra difficult.

So, you were relieved when you told TUI about your needs and an agent reassured you that you would have special seating and all the necessary assistance.

Imagine your horror, then, when you came to board your flight and discovered there was no ramp available to help you get on and off.

This meant you were forced to climb the stairs, which took you a very long time and caused you considerable discomfort and pain.

Then, once you got on board, you were put in a standard seat, despite asking for extra legroom seat, causing you even more discomfort.

And during the flight, you told an attendant you needed to use the toilet, and they directed you to the premium section of the aircraft to avoid queueing.

But when you followed their directions, another flight attendant said you could not use this toilet and told you you had to wait in the queue.

By the time you arrived at your destination, you felt shaken and confused.

When I spoke with TUI, it apologised for the issues you faced with your flight.

However, it said it couldn’t find your request for accessibility help in its files. 

It’s possible the caller you spoke with failed to note this down, but as there are no records, TUI can’t confirm what exactly happened.

Despite this, it has now offered you £200 cash as compensation for your experience.

When it reached out to you, it also told you that your feedback had been taken on board.

If you do have accessibility requirements, it’s really important to tell flight staff in advance to make sure everything is accommodated for.

If you do this and you don’t get the help you requested, you can make a complaint.

Try complaining directly to the airline in the first instance, and ask how you’d like them to put it right.

Put your complaint in writing so you can refer back to it if needed later.

If this fails, you can escalate your complaint to a third party like a dispute resolution service.

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