Ryanair Flight Leaves Child Without Essential Wheelchair in Warsaw
A Ryanair flight from Dublin to Warsaw on 28 June left a mother and her three-year-old son stranded without his essential mobility aid. The child, who is quadriplegic and relies on a postural support wheelchair, was forced to spend three days in Poland without his equipment. The wheelchair was mistakenly left in Dublin and only arrived later, severely damaged and declared beyond repair.
On arrival, airport staff informed the mother that the chair had not been placed on the plane and offered no alternative suitable for a child. She was forced to juggle her son in her arms, a pile of bags and a travel cot as she made her way across the terminal. With no proper help available on arrival, even simple things like getting through the airport or finding their way to accommodation became exhausting hurdles.
We sincerely regret this wheelchair service failure at Dublin Airport. Once we were made aware of this OCS error, Ryanair put the wheelchair onto the next available flight to Warsaw, where the Airport is responsible for delivering the wheelchair by courier to the passenger. We regret the delay in the delivery to the passenger, but this is a matter for OCS, the service provider at Dublin Airport.
The delay and damage to the €3,000 wheelchair disrupted their entire trip, preventing attendance at a scheduled therapy programme. The delivered chair arrived with a broken footplate and bent wheel, making it unsafe to use. The experience added significant stress for the family and highlighted how critical mobility aids are for disabled passengers during air travel, both for comfort and independence.
This situation reveals how quickly air travel can turn into a struggle for passengers with disabilities when the support they depend on is missing. To reduce risks, experts advise:
- Informing airlines about special needs well in advance.
- Clearly labelling mobility equipment and photographing it before check-in.
- Carrying technical information about the device for repairs if needed.
- Keeping an updated list of emergency contacts.
- Researching local rental options for mobility aids at the destination.
Events like this show how mishandled assistance can turn a short flight into a distressing experience. There is a pressing need for clearer rules, better staff training and firm responsibility from service providers to ensure the safety and dignity of disabled passengers. Until these measures are in place, travellers relying on mobility aids should prepare backup plans, know their rights regarding assistance and compensation, and consider specialised insurance to safeguard essential equipment while flying.