Airlines will be prevented from charging elderly or disabled passengers for wheelchairs under European Commission rules to be proposed at the end of March.
Ryanair has come in for repeated criticism for charging customers for use of wheelchairs at certain airports. The airline has also been brought to court by the Disability Rights Commission in England for charging a passenger with cerebral palsy for use of a wheelchair at Stansted Airport. Ryanair argued it was the service provider at the airport who charged rent of £18 for the wheelchair and the airline merely passed on the cost.
The new rules will mean airlines can no longer charge passengers who seek wheelchair assistance at airports. Passengers who used their own wheelchairs are not charged any fee.
The proposed rules came to light in an answer to a priority parliamentary question tabled put by Labour MEP, Mr Proinsias De Rossa.
Mr De Rossa said: "It is disgraceful that any airline should discriminate against people with disabilities or mobility difficulties by charging them to use wheelchairs. In some cases I am aware of the cost of 'renting' wheelchairs to get to the departure gate is almost equal to the cost of the actual flight."
He added: "This legislation was originally promised by the Commission in 2003 and Minister [for Transport] Brennan should now make its adoption a priority of the Irish Presidency before its term in office ends on June 30th".