Travel assistance to East Midlands for blind lady

what kind of a company flies someone with no assistance when it is so needed they should be ashamed of themselves.  I hope that someone offers you their help but it should not be necessary for you to have to ask.

The special assistance team at Alicante will take her to her seat via the ambulift. Who did you book the assistance with?

Most if not all airlines will assist disabled people, from check-in to handing them over to a pre arranged person at the other end. I suggest you contact the airline direct and also the Station manager at Alicante airport, because you have been given the wrong information.  My son was station manager at Gatwick for one of the airlines, so I know I have my facts correct.

Both the airport and the airline have a legal obligation to provide assistance, free of charge. You are required to provided at least 48 hrs notice. See the link below.  

That said, if anyone is willing to assist, I would suggest that you take up their offer as your daughter may have to wait on the aircraft upon arrival at East Midlands until a member of the special assistance team is available.

https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/prm/passengers-with-disabilities-and-reduced-mobility/

When we booked on Ryan Air Web, there is nowhere to raise this issue. On calling Ryanair, we were told by the customer service agent that the airport (Alicante) will assist from bag drop to gate. However, he did not believe Ryanair would be able to help further (ie gate to seat) but was reverting by mail to us the following day (Thursday). However no mail, and subsequent phone calls have not solved the problem. 

We will try phoning the airport again tomorrow

Thanks everyone for input, will update 

Thanks very much. We are chasing the airport again tomorrow. I appreciate that Ryanair CS might not be fully informed of their duties. 

We're not too worried about arriving in UK, the plane is not going anywhere unless the personell or airport helps her off. 😉

Hi, I have had similar issues with Ryanair. However it is the ground handling agent that provides the special assistance, not Ryanair. Once you get to the airport special assistance desk, they will confirm what help is needed and provide it. There is no question that a passenger who requires special assistance  would just be left at the gate. Unfortunately Ryanair are not helpful in this regard. But it isn’t up to them.

There is however a specific telephone number on their website to phone to arrange special assistance and also an online chat where they will put you through to them.

Ryanair told me recently that I would only be escorted to the gate at Almeria airport. However in reality this doesn’t happen. The special assistance team will give all the help that is required, without any fuss.

Hi All,

We have contacted Alicanted airport services who ,without any fuss, arranged the assistance needed at Alicante. Fantastic.

We then had to contact Ryanair passenger assistance to arrange help at East Midlands, the operator at Ryanair checked the booking and again told us that assistance wasn't available, we told her that we had arranged help onto the plane and we're polite but firm that they should make the arrangements, at which time the operator completely turned around and accepted the request.

This is our first experience of making an assisted travel booking and we're very grateful to all who answered and pointed us in the right direction,. Seems it's not unusual for Ryanair not to be as helpful as they should be, but armed with the right knowledge we soon got it sorted.

Thank you again