A wheelchair user who was banned from a flight because she cannot walk has finally received an apology from the airline.
Kim Swift, 50, of Larkspur Close, Ruislip, booked a flight from Luton to Portugal in September last year with Monarch Airlines.
Even though she had been using the airline for six years without any problems, when she called to reserve an extra-legroom seat she was told she could only fly if she had a carer with her.
At the time the airline said this was because of new legislation stating wheelchair users must be accompanied on flights when they are 'unable to fasten their seatbelt, leave their seat and reach an emergency exit unaided.'
The mother-of-one immediately contacted the Equality and Human Rights Commission to ask for help.
She said: "Monarch sent me a letter in October saying the staff I had spoken to gave out wrong information. They were apologising for the upset I went through and offered me a single flight.
"Meanwhile the Commission were still fighting it, and they told me not to respond to the letter because they felt there were some other issues that needed dealing with.
"I wrote back to Monarch saying I was not happy with a single flight and I was still annoyed that it was a staff error. About a week ago they wrote back they were happy to offer me two flights and promised it wouldn't happen again.
"I accepted this because it came to a point where I just wanted to let it go.
"It wasn't about the compensation. It's the fact that these sort of restrictions shouldn't be placed on disabled people and I don't want other people in the same position to be treated this way.
"Without the Commission's support and media support I wouldn't have got anywhere with it."
A spokesperson from the airline said of the legislation: "Whilst using this as a guideline, Monarch's own policy extends beyond this and the airline will, and does, accept unaccompanied immobile customers for travel on flights.
"Regrettably this flexibility was not extended to Mrs Swift at the time of her flight booking, for which a full apology has been given and a pair of complimentary flights offered."
