Frank Gardner, a famous BBC correspondent who has absolutely awed several millions of TV viewers with his bravery, was in a somewhat humiliating situation on his recent flight with LOT Polish Airlines.
As a known war correspondent who survived a near-lethal terrorists’ attack, the journalist had to crawl through the aisle of an aircraft before he could enter the bathroom. Why? LOT Polish Airlines do not have wheelchairs on board, a fact that later stirred the public into infuriation.
Gardner, partially paralyzed since a 2004 shooting in Saudi Arabia, took to social media with his disturbing experience. He posted a photo showing him sprawled on the plane’s floor and said that the airline staff told him there were no wheelchairs available for use during the flight.
The crew’s reaction was, “It’s airline policy,” leaving Gardner no choice but to crawl to the restroom. Humiliated by a lack of access, he made his frustration known quite clearly, referring to the policy as ” outdated ” and “unacceptable.”.
The incident has stirred the sea of criticism on the part of the public: many sincerely blamed LOT Polish Airlines for their heartlessness and unavailability of good compensatory measures. On social media, users described their shock, calling the airline’s stance “disgraceful” and “inexcusable.”
For someone of Gardner’s stature, the ordeal was little short of deeply degrading, not to mention being relatively physically uncomfortable. On his posts, Gardner also said that he now considers boycotting the airline-a feeling shared by many who found the situation very unfair.
LOT Polish Airlines answered the outrage with “deep regret,” saying it was sorry for the distress caused to Gardner. But the airline did not say whether it would make immediate changes to how it handles wheelchairs. Though the apology came, for many, it is not enough-the incident has brought to light wider issues about air travel access for disabled passengers.
It’s not an isolated story, but part of a wider, continuing fight for people with disabilities-those who often are taken for granted about whom travel is a nightmare. A seasoned journalist, Gardner was back to his job after some time following the brutal al-Qaeda attack that left him using a wheelchair. He loudly called on improved accessibility in air travel.
He advocates for inclusive air travel, and this incident simply outlines with greater urgency the message he would have conveyed. Gardner has worked untiringly to shed light on various issues affecting people with disabilities, and the latest ordeal he faced raised renewed calls for change.
While there are set procedures for airlines in accommodating disabled passengers, this-a case attained for Gardner-is very far from over. Most countries have specific legislation beyond the international guidelines that would force the airlines to provide certain forms of assistance such as wheelchairs to disabled passengers so they fly with dignity. The policies generally vary a lot from one carrier to another; some, like LOT Polish Airlines, offer no wheelchair access whatsoever during the flight itself.
It has now raised many questions in people’s mind: should a policy of such nature be there by airlines? The incident has once again stirred debates on the manner in which airlines treat disabled passengers and whether more stringent regulations are called for to ensure that everybody can comfortably and safely travel.
Frank Gardner is no stranger to a bit of hard luck. As one of the world’s highly respected journalists, for nearly two decades, Gardner covered many of the most dangerous conflicts of the world. His career took a turn for the worse in 2004 when he was shot six times by al-Qaeda militants while on assignment in Saudi Arabia, which left him partially paralyzed.
Despite injury, Gardner was back at work a year later and continued with the same job of BBC’s Security Correspondent. He has also written several books on his experiences in the Middle East and his journey to recovery, including a memoir entitled Blood and Sand.
Through it all, he has been an advocate for people with disabilities, trying to raise awareness about challenges faced by them. It is now at this juncture in his life, after recent experiences on LOT Polish Airlines, that he has brought again into the limelight the need for inclusivity, and many are hoping this incident drives the airlines to rethink their policies.
