Outrageous! Airline wanted to leave disabled Hungarian passenger at airport

A disabled Hungarian man was told at Milan airport when he checked in that he could not get a boarding pass despite having a valid ticket.

Scandal in Milan: discrimination against a disabled person

According to the National Federation of Associations of Disabled People (Mozgáskorlátozottak Egyesületeinek Országos Szövetsége, MEOSZ), the severely disabled Viktor Singer travelled to Milan with his niece and her mother. His electric wheelchair was released without any problems during his outward journey, but on the way home, the airline asked him to remove the battery at Milan airport when he wanted to check it.

The administrator had a lengthy discussion with his supervisor, and was finally told that the battery could not be taken on board, so it would be confiscated. There was no question of it being delivered to the passenger later.

Singer said in vain that he had been able to travel the day before with the same airline without any problems, but he removed the battery and placed it in the overhead bin. In addition, Singer said he had not had a problem with the same battery on several different airlines in the past.

The Hungarian man said the battery he used met all the airline’s requirements, but that this was not enough. Singer then asked for help from the Consulate General of Hungary in Milan.

The Consulate General wanted to mediate personally, but the administrator refused. Singer called the administrator’s superior, but he refused and even called the police. The police stated that this was not within their competence, but they took away the Hungarian passenger’s ID and the IDs of those accompanying him and photographed them.

Compulsory travel and compensation

Singer had to choose between staying in Milan or returning home without the battery and the Hungarian man chose the latter, 24.hu reports. Despite Singer’s request, no record of the incident was made.

MEOSZ mentions that Singer is severely disabled and can only use an electric wheelchair. The airline not only caused him financial damage, but also made him vulnerable during the flight home and in the days that followed. Singer was unable to leave his home and therefore unable to go to work in Hungary.

“In addition to suffering significant financial loss, Viktor Singer’s right to human dignity and freedom of movement was seriously violated as a result of the actions of the airline representative. He has been subjected to an undignified and humiliating situation because of rules and practices established but not uniformly applied by the airline, which otherwise allow the transport of the battery in question, and which led to an unjustified but intimidating police action,” the statement reads.

For the material damage caused by the airline, as well as for the serious violation of rights and discrimination, Viktor Singer has requested a compensation of HUF 1,139,870 (EUR 2,980).