Wheelchair user forced to crawl off Ryanair flight in Sweden after being told help would take over an hour
3 May 2023, 08:53 | Updated: 3 May 2023, 12:24
A wheelchair user who was forced to "bunny-hop" down metal steps from a plane when no one could help him has said his experience was "unacceptable".
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Adrian Keogh, from Wicklow in Ireland, was told he would have to wait an hour for assistance after his flight landed at Landvetter Airport in Sweden on Saturday and could always crawl off the aircraft.
Mr Keogh, who has a spinal injury following a construction accident, has used a wheelchair since 2015 decided to leave the plane as he was in pain and needed to use the bathroom.
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Mr Keogh's brother offered to carry him down the stairs but he refused as they were "steep, corrugated steel steps" and he felt it would be too dangerous.
"If he fell we would have both been hurt so I had to bunny-hop down myself," he told the BBC.
"This is not the first time I've been stuck on a plane after everyone else has disembarked," he went on to say.
"It's unacceptable - all I ask for is to be able to travel with dignity."
The airport has since apologised and Ryanair said it was looking into the incident.
Landvetter Airport said it "deeply regrets" Mr Keogh's experience.
A spokesperson said it was "not up to our usual standard of service", blaming "several unforeseen events".
Ryanair said: "Special assistance at Landvetter Airport is managed by a third-party provider - not Ryanair.
"We regret that Landvetter Airport failed to provide Special Assistance to this passenger upon arrival at Landvetter on 29 Apr and we are working with Landvetter Airport to ensure this does not recur."
