Disabled journalist Frank Gardner slams 'discriminatory airline' after being forced to crawl to the toilet

2 October 2024, 19:43

Veteran journalist Frank Gardner has slammed a Polish airline after being forced to crawl the length of a plane on the floor to use the bathroom mid flight.

Mr Gardner, who lost the use of his legs after being shot several times in Saudi Arabia in 2004, was on a LOT airline flight from Warsaw on Monday.

He had to use the toilet but cabin crew told him there was no wheelchair on board, so he was left with no option but to crawl the across the plane’s floor.

Speaking to Andrew Marr on LBC, Mr Gardner said: “LOT airlines still have this bizarre 20th century policy where they don't have onboard aisle chairs where if you're disabled and you can't walk, you can't go to the toilet on one of there European flights.

“I just thought: ‘This is crazy, if I don’t go to the loo on this plane, there's going to be an accident.'

“I don't wish that on anybody least of all myself, so the only way round this was for me to crawl on my backside to basically shuffle along the floor."

Andrew Marr speaks to Frank Gardner

Mr Gardner questioned the regulation around UK aviation as to why an airline is allowed to operate in this way.

He said: “I’m almost more annoyed with whoever it is who regulates UK airports than I am with LOT Polish Airlines.

“Why are they allowing such a discriminatory airline to fly in and out of British airports like Heathrow.

"This is 2024 were supposed to care about disability rights - surely this is against regulations.”

He previously wrote online: “Wow. It’s 2024 and I’ve just had to crawl along the floor of this LOT Polish airline to get to the toilet during a flight back from Warsaw as “we don’t have onboard wheelchairs. It’s airline policy”. If you’re disabled and you can’t walk this is just discriminatory.

“In fairness to the cabin crew, they were as helpful and apologetic as they could be. Not their fault, it’s the airline. Won’t be flying LOT again until they join the 21st century.”

Talking about in-flight wheelchairs, he added: “They exist already and most airlines carry them as standard. They can even fit in an overhead locker. But clearly that’s too much trouble for LOT !”

“Bit of a sore backside and my suit is not thrilled but hey.”

He received an outpouring of support after sharing his experience.

One person posted: “Sorry, Frank. This is pretty tough on anyone and degrading.”

Another said: “Absolutely unbelievable this wasn't made clear in advance so you could avoid booking. UK airports should not be selling slots to this company”

A third posted: “So sorry to hear this, isn’t it time airlines are obliged to provide on board wheelchairs to be able to hold licences to fly into international airports.”

According to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, any passenger with a disability or reduced mobility is entitled to support when traveling by air.

LOT has not yet commented.