Madam, - Recently my father (who is 75 and visually impaired) made his first plane journey in 40 years to visit me in Australia. He spent over two months here and had the time of his life. On his outbound journey, Singapore Airlines escorted him the whole way and he arrived in Brisbane Australia refreshed and vibrant.
The problems started on his return journey. Singapore Airlines confirmed that they could escort him from Brisbane to Heathrow. However, my father was booked with Aer Lingus from Heathrow to Dublin and Aer Lingus could not confirm that they could offer him assistance. It depended on "ground staff numbers" was the response.
When my father arrived in Heathrow he asked both the Aer Lingus check-in desk and the cabin crew supervisor for assistance but none was given. He wandered around Heathrow for two hours. When he arrived in Dublin he had to wait until every bag was removed from the baggage claim area. He was a shambles when he met my family on arrival.
I wrote to Aer Lingus and received an email stating it would take between six and eight weeks for the airline to respond. Its complaints department must be inundated, as I can well imagine.Aer Lingus's policy on assisting disabled travellers seems to depend on staff numbers and not on a traveller's needs. How can Ireland's leading airline not offer such basic assistance?- Yours, etc,
JAMES GRANT, Manly West, Brisbane, Australia.