The last has not been heard of Dana Air’s obnoxious policies toward Persons with Disabilities as another ugly incident reared its head. Again, strong criticisms has accompanied the extra charges of #9,000 levied on a wheelchair passenger who recently boarded Dana’s flights.
According to a press statement released by Inclusive Friends Association, the victim, Miss Uzoamaka Stella Ike was charged the exorbitant fee while boarding a flight to attend the one-week training fellowship organized by the Organization.
While referring to various incidences of discrimination against Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria as a National Crisis, the NGO indignantly called out Dana Air for what it termed “criminal policies”.
The statement read in part:
“Miss Uzoamaka Stella Ike is a person with Physical Disability. With her unique type of disability, she is unable to walk or use her hands, hence, she uses a wheelchair and is always in company of a personal care attendant (brother). Nevertheless, she works twice as hard as anyone and leads a fulfilling and purposeful life. Stella leads a formidable movement of persons advocating for the rights of PWDs – a position which keeps her constantly on the move. Hence she is always attending refresher trainings, fellowship programs, etc.
“She had set out to attend a one-week GBV training and fellowship organized by Inclusive Friends Association, IFA, on the 8th day of March 2021 when she was subjected to extortionist discriminatory practice by Dana Air at its Enugu terminal. She was charged an extra Four Thousand Five Hundred Naira (N4,500.00) for her wheelchair which is her only source of mobility. Despite protests and emotional trauma occasioned by her situation, she had to pay the extra sum to avoid being denied right to board the aircraft to Abuja for the training. It didn’t matter that she’s already purchased return air tickets for herself and her caregiver.
“As if such unfair extortion wasn’t enough, the situation was repeated at the Abuja terminal on Stella’s return trip. She was heartlessly made to cough out another extra #4,500. The sum was dubiously tagged by a Dana Air staff as “Special Assistance Fee/Charge”. This, he claimed was to offset bills of the airline’s partners who assisted persons on wheelchairs or other Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) requiring help to board and/or disembark from an aircraft.
“The situation gets even messier in face of the express provision of Section 14 of the Disability Act which mandates airlines to provide such assistance. Never mind that Miss Ike had a caregiver who for the most part, assisted her in this regard.
“Despite the national outcry from Nigerians, especially the community of PWDs against its discriminatory policies, Dana Air continues to play the unrepentant Devil that takes delight in inflicting maximum torture on its unwilling victims. Or so it seems.
“The airline has not relented in perpetuating practices that dehumanize or degrade passengers with disabilities, including almost reducing them to mere chargeable excess luggage. Such an attitude stands as a monumental affront to the overriding intent and purpose of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, a fortiori, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
“As if denying PWDs from flying at night is not enough infringement on their fundamental human rights, Dana Air has gone one step further to charge them more for being disabled, even at this time of Covid-19 pandemic when most PWDs have increased financial imbalance to contend with, over and above their counterpart without disabilities.
“It is sad to note that despite prohibition of all forms of discrimination under Section 42 of the Constitution, discrimination against Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria has become a national crisis.
“Furthermore, the recent enactment of a national disability Act is yet to effectively prevent mass exclusion and/or infringement on the basic human rights of Persons with Disabilities such as safe and comfortable movement and/or accessible and affordable transportation, whether by land, water, or air amongst others.
“From the current look of things, it is obvious that until a proper appraisal is done on Dana Air’s “Wheelchair Charge” or so-called “Special Assistance Charge” and the necessary corrections made, the very essence of the national disability Act is being undermined. However, those who undermine the humanity which the Act underscores must know that they do so at their own peril.
It is discriminatory, dehumanizing, degrading, unconstitutional, and immoral for Dana Air (or any other airline) to demand and indeed collect “Wheelchair Charge” from PWDs and the victim, in particular. PWDs shouldn’t bear the cost for accessibility. Wheelchairs and other assistive devices are an inherent part of PWDs without which their rights to accessibility and freedom of movement cannot be guaranteed.”
Photos of the receipts of the “wheelchair charge”
