Green Africa Airline allegedly refused a wheelchair user to board its aircraft.
Yinka Olaito
Reporting from Lagos, Nigeria
A special assistant to the Osun State Governor on Disability Matters was allegedly denied boarding of the airlines at the Akure Airport in Nigeria, alleging their policy does not permit wheelchair users on-board.
This is despite Oladosu Olanrewaju’s flight ticket purchased on 24 June, having recorded that he utilises a wheelchair and the same airline, Green Africa Airline had provided its ramp number, Q9316.
But on 26 June, when he was about to board the Green Africa’s flight from Akure Airport to Abuja, he was allegedly denied. As a result, he had to buy another ticket and travel with a different airline, Overland Airways.
Olanrewaju had been invited to a two-day national co-creation stakeholders’ convening, hosted by the Centre for Ability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment (CARE) in collaboration with Persons with Disability (PWD) Community Practice. The event themed, “the national disability act post-moratorium: advancing inclusion and accessibility for those vulnerable and outside the margins” was hosted in Abuja.
On the day of the incident, he was travelling with the special assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Disability Matter, Akin Obanise and the Chairperson of the Agency for the Welfare of Persons with Disability Welfare Board, Ondo State, Princes Folashade Arise.
“Our air tickets were purchased by the organiser of the event after a careful enquiry from Green Africa Airline customer service, and a promise that the airline would pick the three of us up from Akure, Ondo State to Abuja, Nigeria. The three of us have different degrees [physical disabilities].
“In the ticket, Green Africa Airline promised it would provide necessary items that could aid our boarding and disembarkation. But to my surprise, at Akure Airport, staff of Green Africa informed me they would not board me."
Olanrewaju said:
“My colleagues and I protested and after several entreaties, the station manager told me Green Africa Airline policy does not allow a wheelchair user on-board. We explained the illegality of this as it violates my rights,” said Olanrewaju, refering to rights enshrined in the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act (DAPDA 2019).
Olanrewaju added:
Although he was refunded his money, he said the trauma associated to the incident is still lingering in his mind.
Arise said while the three of them were at the check-in counter in Akure, they were informed by the airline ground staff that Olanrewaju could not be boarded because he is a wheelchair user.
Arise said they protested and showed the airline staff that Olanrewaju’s flight ticket clearly confirmed that he could board with his wheelchair.
“Despite our entreaties, the airline staff refused to listen. Aside from this, the hostility of the airline staff is disturbing. It is as if it is a crime to be a person with disability,” Arise shared with anger.
Another concern raised by Arise was that Green Africa Airline staff seemed to be in the dark regarding civil aviation regulations as well as DAPDA 2019. The regulation outlines priority of boarding for persons with disabilities before, during boarding, and disembarkation of airline passengers.
Part 4, Section 14 of the DAPDA 2019 on accessibility and other necessary provisions states that, “Public transportation facilities and service providers, airplane operators, railway, seaports amongst others are to make provisions for all the needs of every cluster within the persons with disabilities communities without any exclusion.” It further says discrimination against persons with disabilities across every area is prohibited, and if found guilty is a criminal offence.
Citing DAPDA 2019, Barrister Salami Abolarinwa, an advocate for people with disabilities and an attorney with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice said, the laws are explicit about any form of discrimination and denials of rights of persons with disabilities to fly.
Abolarinwa is visually impaired. He is the national executive chairman of National Association for the Blind (NAB) Lagos chapter.
Abolarinwa said Green Africa Airline has no excuse especially when the ticket issued had a responsibility attached without a liability clause.
Abolarinwa also picked a hole in the alleged ignorance of law with regards to priority boarding for people with disabilities. He said this is a criminal offence if found guilty.
On the excuse that the particular aircraft is small with a narrow entrance door, Abolarinwa argues that international aviation law does not allow the use of aircraft that will discriminate against any person based on body status, so he wonders why the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) actually permits the use of such aircraft in Nigeria’s air space.
DAPDA 2019 on accessibility within the airport, mandates airlines to states that boarding and disembarkation from an aircraft by passengers with disabilities should be smooth and with ease. It says airlines should make available a presentable and functional wheelchair for the conveyance of people with disabilities who need it to-and-fro when travelling. It further states that this must be done with safety consciousness and reasonable comfort.
But Arise said, “At both Akure to Abuja and my return journey to Akure, I was made to queue with others. This I protested, and it took my resolve not to bow to intimidation before I was given boarding priority as expected.”
The same concerns were raised by Obanise. He alleged that there was hostility and lack of disability law awareness and care for people with disabilities and he believed it was “nauseating.”
“How can an airline staff in this age present a situation which betrays their ignorance when it comes to air passenger’s right to care for people with disabilities,” said Obanise.
Another concern raised by Arise was that Green Africa Airline staff seemed to be in the dark regarding civil aviation regulations as well as DAPDA 2019. The regulation outlines priority of boarding for persons with disabilities before, during boarding, and disembarkation of airline passengers.
Part 4, Section 14 of the DAPDA 2019 on accessibility and other necessary provisions states that, “Public transportation facilities and service providers, airplane operators, railway, seaports amongst others are to make provisions for all the needs of every cluster within the persons with disabilities communities without any exclusion.” It further says discrimination against persons with disabilities across every area is prohibited, and if found guilty is a criminal offence.
Citing DAPDA 2019, Barrister Salami Abolarinwa, an advocate for people with disabilities and an attorney with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice said, the laws are explicit about any form of discrimination and denials of rights of persons with disabilities to fly.
Abolarinwa is visually impaired. He is the national executive chairman of National Association for the Blind (NAB) Lagos chapter.
He said Green Africa Airline has no excuse especially when the ticket issued had a responsibility attached without a liability clause.
Abolarinwa also picked a hole in the alleged ignorance of law with regards to priority boarding for people with disabilities. He said this is a criminal offence if found guilty.
On the excuse that the particular aircraft is small with a narrow entrance door, Obalarinwa argued that international aviation law does not allow the use of aircraft that will discriminate against any person based on body status, so he wonders why the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) actually permits the use of such aircraft in Nigeria’s air space.
DAPDA 2019 on accessibility within the airport, mandates airlines to states that boarding and disembarkation from an aircraft by passengers with disabilities should be smooth and with ease. It says airlines should make available a presentable and functional wheelchair for the conveyance of people with disabilities who need it to-and-fro when travelling. It further states that this must be done with safety consciousness and reasonable comfort.
But Arise said, “At both Akure to Abuja and my return journey to Akure, I was made to queue with others. This I protested and it took my resolve not to bow to intimidation before I was given boarding priority as expected.”
The same concerns were raised by Obanise. He alleged that there was hostility and lack of disability law awareness and care for people with disabilities and he believed it was “nauseating.”
“How can an airline staff in this age present a situation which betrays their ignorance when it comes to air passenger’s right to care for people with disabilities,” said Obanise.
Special assistant to the Osun State Governor on Disability Matters Oladosu Olanrewaju shares his experience.
Part 19.10 of the Right to Care provides that, “in applying this section, the operating air carrier shall prioritise the needs of persons with reduced mobility and any persons accompanying them, as well as to the needs of unaccompanied minors.”
Posing as a potential passenger with disability travelling from Akure to Abuja, this journalist phoned Green Africa Airline on Sunday June 30, 2024, at 13:25 and the receiver who only identified himself as Mr. Tola said the airline station manager was unavailable.
This journalist asked whether he could purchase Green Africa’s ticket from Akure to Abuja. Tola replied that such individual must not be a zero-mobility person (inability to walk or move at all either with stick or aid). He stated that their particular aircraft flying Akure to Abuja route is a small plane with narrow door which may not allow others to help a passenger with zero mobility in the boarding process.
On whether there is an established policy by the airline not to board physically challenged persons, Tola replied, “Green Africa Airline has no such policy, but a mandatory requirement of the airline is that every passenger must be able to walk into the plane as well as find their ways to the door in case of emergency.”
Olanrewaju has reduced mobility and can stand up from his wheelchair, thus, he was able to use the stairs by himself while boarding and disembarking from Overland Airways. Despite Tola's claim, Green Africa Airline allegedly declined Olanrewaju to travel in one of its airplanes.
Olanrewaju said in his discussion with a top management of Green Africa Airline, the staff had stated that they could not board him because the specific aircraft is small with a narrow door.
When Olanrewaju confronted them about the airline’s printed confirmation that he can board with his wheelchair as stated in issued ticket, “the staff maintained the promise of wheelchair and ramps were limited to ‘within the airport’ and not while boarding or disembarking." But he could not obtain an answer on why that transparency was not maintained before the ticket was purchased.
On priority and attention in boarding process, DAPDA 2019 (Part V, section 26), Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations Part 19, (12) as well as IATA charter on Rights of persons with disabilities also state:
Airlines should provide clear guidance to passengers with disabilities on their requirements for the carriage of mobility devices and medical equipment.
The said laws also state that, “An Airline and aviation service staff should be supported by their employers in acquiring and maintaining the proper knowledge, skills and abilities to provide passengers with disabilities a seamless and dignified travel experience.”
Part 19 of Nigeria Civil Aviation regulation is also clear about passengers’ rights (boarding and disembarkation priority) and responsibility of Airlines operators.
A media enquiry was sent to Green Africa Airline on 31 July, however they had not responded at the time of going to print. This story will be updated with Green Africa Airline’s comment.
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