Dear Caoimhghin

I would appreciate it if you would follow on an incident I had on the aeroplane, as I was about to get off at Dublin on the 9 September 2005, on my return from the "Freedom Drive 2005"

As I have a spinal injury, T7 Complete I was made to sit on a small and hard chair for over 2 hours. When I tried to highlight that I wished to avail of an accessible wheelchair, all I was told "me not speak English". The treatment I received at Charles De Gaul Airport as I was taken from plane to terminal to get boarding pass and then to the plane to Dublin was extremely frickning. I was left in the back of a pick up vehicle on my own. It was an experience that I would never go through on my own, and feel that in the year 2005 one should be treated better.

When it came to getting me off at Dublin Airport, the only way was to lift me over a few rows of seats at the front. As they were lifting me over the seats, my feet went into bad spasms, with the result, both my feet were damaged. I asked the staff, if they had got any training to handle people who are confined to wheelchairs, and they informed that all the training they got was, how to handle a wheelchair.

I have to get them dressed by the Public Health Nurse 2 times per week. She informed me that they were not making much progress and is worried. As I have no feeling and poor circulation it looks as if I am in for a long wait and would appreciate it if you could make representations on my behalf.

I know of others like myself, who had some difficulty travelling by aeroplanes, and it needs attention.

Re Flight, here are the details,

Issued by Air France, Date: 04082005

Billet /Ticket Number: 05721479831093

Name: Mr. Thomas Chambers,

Booking Reference: ZED4OQ.

Time of departs from: 10.15am 9th Sept.

Flight AF 5004. Class Y. Embankment F44, Boarding 09H40, Seat 03A.

Arrivel Time at Dublin Airport: 11.15AM,

But there was a delay leaving Charles De Gaul, at least 30 minutes, which they apologised for.










The name of the airline from De Gaul to Dublin is: City Jet.

When the chaps who came to take me from the plane found that the isle in the plane was too narrow, they found it amusing. I asked for someone of importance. The pilot appeared from the cockpit and asked me what was wrong. Then the co-pilot appeared and after a chat among them, there was a break out of laughing.

I asked them if it was so funny why was I not laughing. The pilot asked me as to what was the best way to get me off. I said that it would take 4 strong men, but it would not include the 2 helpers. So 2 others appeared and carried me out to my own chair, which was at the tunnel. As the side of the chair was missing, the lads informed that they would have to bring me down to the place to make a complaint. They started to make fun of me in the chair by one pushing me this way and the other pushing me the opposite way.

I then asked them about the training they got. I informed them that I needed only one of them to push my chair. The next problem was; he did not know where the place to make a complaint was. It was eventually found by travelling to nearly every floor and office.

As the lad had not a lot of English, when asked, he did not know where I could make a complaint. Maybe he didn't want me to know?

I know of others who travelled out by boat and rail and others went from Shannon and Cork airports and nearly all had a problem travelling. I was even speaking to a lad who travelled with Air Lingus and is considering taking them to court.

Regards,

Tom.