Ryanair has said it will continue to limit the number of passengers with disabilities on its flights, despite the entry into force of a new EU law on discrimination today.
The low-cost operator currently allows a maximum of four passengers with reduced mobility on its flights, citing safety concerns as the reason for the restriction.
However, an EU regulation due to take effect today will force airlines and tour operators to offer equal access to air transport for people with reduced mobility.
It will cover all flights from EU airports, and prohibits the refusal of airlines and tour operators to carry passengers on the basis of reduced mobility.
From next July, it will force European airports and airlines to provide access to wheelchairs free of charge.
The regulation was partly prompted by outrage over Ryanair making a disabled man, Bob Ross, pay for a wheelchair when he turned up to take an international flight at Stansted airport in March 2002.
When it lost the case Ryanair imposed a 50 cent levy on all passengers taking flights to cover the cost of providing access to a wheelchair.
A Ryanair spokeswoman said the limit of four people with reduced mobility would remain due to safety concerns in the event of the need to evacuate an aircraft.
An European Commission spokesman said it was not clear if this limit ran contrary to EU law.
"If companies want to introduce derogations they will have to prove they are needed for security reasons on the basis of international and European law."
Anne Winslow, chief executive of MS Ireland, said companies should not set restrictions on the number of passengers with reduced mobility they can take unless there were valid safety concerns.
She said current limits put in place by many airlines caused real difficulties for people with disabilities when they travelled abroad.
The Association of European Airlines, which represents many of the national flag carriers in Europe, including Aer Lingus, said last night that its members did not set limits on passengers with disabilities.
However, a pilot could refuse to take any passengers if he considered that they would pose a safety risk to the aircraft.
Under the new EU regulation people with reduced mobility can make complaints against airlines or tour operators about discrimination to a national regulator.
In the Republic this is likely to be the commissioner for aviation regulation when the Government passes the statutory instrument giving effect to the new EU legislation.