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MORE THAN 250 people with disabilities staged a protest against Ryanair at Adolfo-Suárez-Madrid Barajas Airport on Saturday afternoon.
Spanish newspaper El País reports that the protesters accused the airline of “systematically and permanently” discrimination against disabled travellers by adding unnecessary obstacles in order to board their flight.
The protest was organised by the Spanish Committee of Representatives of Disabled People (CERMI), after the group received multiple complaints about the low-cost airline.
The group’s president, Luis Cayo Pérez Bueno, said: “The airline conjures up hare-brained security reasons and, without any kind of social commitment, excludes disabled passengers directly, either by not allowing them to board, or by obliging them to bring a travel companion at their own expense.
It uses an abusive and discriminatory European rule to tell us, as passengers, that we aren’t welcome.
He cited the case of Javier García Pajares, a deaf and blind Spanish student attempted to return home for Christmas from London. It is claimed that he was not allowed to travel for security reasons.
Cayo Pérez said: “The case of our friend Javier García Pajares is proof of something devastating that it wants us to accept as natural. It is the moment to tell them that low-cost cannot be translated into fewer human rights.”
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, a Ryanair spokesperson said: “These claims are untrue and this protest was baseless.
Thousands of passengers who require special assistance choose to travel with Ryanair on a weekly basis and do so without issue and we are proud of the service we provide to all of our customers, which we are continually improving.
They added that Pajares had been contacted by customer service, who had asked him for documentation to make sure he complied with the required security measures that allowed him to travel without a companion.
The spokesperson said: “Upon receipt of this confirmation (some seven days later), we confirmed he would be permitted to travel, however he chose not to.”
In a letter sent to CERMI, and seen by TheJournal.ie, Ryanair’s chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs confirmed that a refund had been provided for the unused airfare.
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Isis or Kinahans?
@Mark Kenny: what’s the difference at this point?
@Mark Kenny: dissident republicans
Just dysfunctional people doing dysfunctional stuff.
Evacuate the area then let it go off, and start building the inner city again from scratch. Opportunity missed ;)
@Scundered: re building wont get get rid of the problems…..just cost taxpayers!
@Scundered: and where would you like us to move too? Housing crisis as it is.
@Sabrina (^_^): Ballybough’s a decent area, born and bred here
@Scundered: Better idea evacuate everyone and put you in the van. How about that.
@Bopper Bops Holland: but Summerhill is just up the road…
@Scundered: I bet your the first and last at proctologist everyday. But didn’t they tell you that your wasting your time they can’t do anything for ass holes.
@Scundered: I live in the area and kinda of agree, sad fact is that there are too many social housing blocks in the area, with more beind built. Those of us paying mortgages and workind arw ignored by local politicians and are not the ones out having a nosey.
@Scundered: Would have been better to spread the word it was full of heroine. Then let it go off 30 mins later.
@Sabrina (^_^): it’s not a housing crisis, it’s a people crisis, where people are creating families with no means to pay for it.
@Blah blah: they should move anyone who hasn’t shown any interest in working to outside the m50 line, and keep the city centre for those who are working, which would make it safer for tourists too. Everyone would win. Social housing shouldn’t be in the centre, sure we would all love a free city centre pad.
@Scundered: I grew up there and have been a tax payer since I got my first degree in 2007. I am now paying a mortgage on a house outside of the city.
My mother who is disabled still lives there and has lived there for the over 20 years. She is a short distance away from the hospital that she has to attend on a regular basis.
Think before you make small minded statements.
I hope you never end up having to rely on the state for support.
I also hope you never have to hear someone wish your childhood home be blown up.
isisidents
A very serious development if it is connected to the feud.How brazen or desperate were these men to drive a van with explosive material through the heart of the north inner city only a couple of days after the murder of Michael Keogh?When tensions are at boiling point and police are very visible with checkpoints in many areas.
Maybe it will turn out to be not feud related but if it is it is a scary thought to what could have happened to whoever the intended targets were.
Thank God the garda intercepted this mobile death machine.Good work cops.
@mark kenny: I think this shows that they don’t give a damn. . They’re going to do whatever they want !
@Scundered:
Garda & Army telling people too leave their homes, children playing on the street put in danger, & some think it would be good thing if the area was wiped off the map , Shame on you, & Shame on the people who transport such items.
@Patrick Ellis: sorry your upset snowflake
@Patrick Ellis: the area was fine before man came along.
Those lads look like they’ve blown it!
@Turk Oneeighttwo: Your all quick with the smart comments but don’t forget this feud is going to get more people killed and possibly innocent people at that. So just give a thought to those killed and injured.
Seems like Gorrah was right, they haven’t gone away you know.
ISIHENS
Unless the detonators are inserted and det cord plastic explosive be it semtex pe 4 or whatever is perfectly safe u can even put a match or flame to it as it takes a direct explosion or electrical current to detonate the explosive which is delivered by the detonator plastic is a very safe explosive and easy to handle
@Mark Dawson: if was just the plastic been transported its no danger and even if a detonator was inserted put on a leather glove and pull it out the static in your body could ignite the detonator hence the glove i seriously doubt it was anymore sophisticated than that but how the hell they got hands on plastic is another thing
have your say