Pilot's Actions to be Regretted

Release Date: Oct 13th, 2005

Commenting on the removal of nine blind and vision impaired passengers from a Ryanair flight between the UK and Italy, the NCBI said it was extremely disappointed with the pilot's decision to pigeon hole everyone living with a disability.

Des Kenny, NCBI's Chief Executive said,

"The pilot has regrettably applied a very personal and outdated interpretation of the airline's safety guidelines which simply lumps with anyone with any kind of disability as being 'all the same'. People with disabilities have differing degrees of mobility which should have been taken into account and not dismissed as in this instance.

"The justification the pilot used for ejecting these passengers was in case of smoke in the cabin. But who would be more able to get off the aircraft in the dark than blind people? In any event these passengers had guides with them to provide any assistance that might be required so it was even more inappropriate.

"Unfortunately this is a major backwards step for an airline that has over the past two years provided additional assistance to vision impaired customers from the check-in-desk to the seat on the plane. I hope that Ryanair will review its interpretation of these guidelines to protect the rights and well-being of its passengers in light of this sorry affair."

Ends

For further information contact NCBI’s Communications Officer, Eoin Dardis, on 01 830 7033.

Notes to Editors

1.     The NCBI (National Council for the Blind in Ireland) is a not for profit, voluntary organisation offering a service nationwide to persons experiencing problems with their eye-sight.

2.     NCBI is a registered charity (No. 26293) and has been in existence since 1931.

3.     The NCBI is established to promote the full independence of people with impaired vision and to minimise the disabling effects of vision impairment.