Ryanair annouced today that it is to change its policy on carrying visually impaired passengers following criticism of a decision to remove a group of blind and partially sighted people from a flight last September.
At the time Ryanair said it had removed the nine passengers because under safety procedures the number of disabled or mobility impaired passengers is limited to four per flight.
However, subject to IAA regulatory approval, the new policy states vision-impaired passengers who are travelling with a sighted companion, on a one to one basis, will not be included in the aircraft safety limit of four reduced mobility passengers per flight and will no longer be required to pre-advise Ryanair.
Ryanair's head of customer services, Caroline Green said the policy change will increase the number of vision-impaired customers able travelling with the company.
But Ms Green said: "Vision-impaired passengers travelling alone remain part of the safety limit of four reduced mobility passengers per flight and will still be required to pre-advise us of their condition or special assistance requirements so that we may continue to provide them with priority services."
Welcoming the change, the chief executive of the National Council of the Blind of Ireland, Des Kenny, said: "Ryanair are to be congratulated for taking the lead in improving what has been a problematic area for vision-impaired passengers when flying".
