EasyJet is facing severe criticism and a potential investigation by the Civil Aviation Authority after a profoundly distressing incident left a wheelchair user stranded and abandoned on the tarmac at Alicante-Elche Airport.
Paul Stainforth, 59, from West Yorkshire, was travelling with his wife on flight EZY8663 from Manchester to Spain. Despite pre-booking special assistance, his nightmare began upon landing. While all other passengers disembarked, Mr. Stainforth was left completely alone on the aircraft for over twenty minutes as the cabin crew departed.
A Terrifying Ordeal of Abandonment
"It was terrifying," Mr. Stainforth recounted. "One minute the plane was full, the next it was completely empty and silent. The crew just left without a word. My wife had been made to get off first, so I was totally isolated with no way to get out."
His desperate situation was only resolved when his wife, Jane, managed to raise the alarm with a passing airport cleaner. The lack of communication and basic care from EasyJet staff has been labelled a disgraceful failure of their duty of care.
EasyJet's Inadequate Response
In a statement, EasyJet offered a generic apology for the "delay" in providing assistance, stating they are reviewing the incident with their ground handler. However, this response has been dismissed as wholly insufficient by the Stainforth family, who are seasoned travellers and had meticulously arranged assistance weeks in advance.
This is not an isolated event. It highlights a growing pattern of failures in providing mandatory assistance for passengers with reduced mobility, raising serious questions about airline accountability and the enforcement of regulations designed to protect disabled travellers.
