Des Member Airports

Published on: 28th March 2025

Edinburgh and Glasgow, the assistance teams are remarkable in how good they are, especially as I think they are battling systemic problems with staffing levels and equipment/transport levels.

They sometimes have to move several wheelchairs with only one person, and they are still unfailingly polite, helpful and kind. Again, never patronising, always with dignity and kindness.

When I first started getting assistance, it was because a RyanAir Cabin Crew person said to me that I should ask for it, and I did not believe I would be entitled to help.

Then, on the next occasion I was at Edinburgh, the Aerlingus check-in desk person actually called the assistance people and asked them to come and help.

Then they collectively impressed on me that asking for help was not just something I was entitled to, but actually, from a safety point of view, it was necessary – so I was not “being a nuisance” – I was helping them by asking for it. For those of us were disability has emerged during or later in life, this is an important point – which it has taken me a while to get used to…”