A wheelchair user who was denied boarding by British Airways because she was ‘travelling alone’ has spoken out to criticise the airline over its treatment of disabled passengers. Samanta Bullock had been at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City to discuss the advancement of the rights of disabled people and was due to fly back to London when the incident occurred, leaving her stranded until she could find an alternative flight.
What happened?
Paralympic athlete, model and disability advocate Samanta Bullock had been visiting New York to attend the 19th COSP Conference at the United Nations Headquarters. She and her company, Bullock Inclusion, had organised a fashion show for the UN, with the support of influential names such as Microsoft and the Brazilian Embassy. At the conference, Bullock also sat with global leaders, advocates, and organisations to discuss and advance the rights of disabled people.
However, when she arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport to fly back to London, British Airways allegedly refused to let her board her flight because she was ‘travelling alone.’ She said the crew told her that they could not assist her to the toilet during the flight, or evacuate her in the event of an emergency. Due to these concerns, she was denied boarding and left temporarily stranded in the U.S.
Speaking to The Metro, Bullock said:
“The irony is impossible to ignore. I had just been at the UN talking about the rights of disabled people. On the way back, this happened. We cannot celebrate disability rights in conference rooms while allowing them to be ignored in practice.”
She also alleges that she was asked a string of personal questions about her personal care by one of the airline employees, and told that she should be flying with a carer.
The response to the incident
After Bullock shared her story to her Instagram page, which boasts nearly 39,000 followers, she received an outpouring of support from users. Many comments included followers’ own experiences with travelling with a disability and facing discrimination, as well as expressing outrage towards the airline.
Responding to the controversy, British Airways said in a statement to The Metro:
“We are sorry for our customer’s experience and are urgently looking into what happened. We remain in direct contact with the customer while we review the circumstances.”
The airline added that it serves hundreds of thousands of customers who require additional assistance each year and works hard to support them throughout their journey.
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