Lanzarote airport investigation after wheelchair user forgotten and misses flight to Bristol

Disability

The tourist had to spend the night on the Spanish island after she was left waiting in the special assistance area before a Ryanair flight

Gerard Couzens

An investigation has been launched after a woman in a wheelchair was “forgotten” at a Spanish holiday airport and missed her flight to Bristol.

The tourist had to spend the night in Lanzarote before flying home the following day.

Her original plane took off without her when she was reportedly still in a special assistance area at the island airport waiting to be taken to the boarding gate and then the plane.

The gaffe has been linked to the heavy workload endured by subcontractors working for Spain’s state-owned airport provider and operator Aena.

The assistance service is provided by a company called Mitie, whose workers are said to struggle with the high volume of assistance requests and a “lack of staff”.

Aena said overnight an investigation was underway into the May 12 incident.

Sources at the airport operator told island newspaper La Voz de Lanzarote they would take “the pertinent measures if necessary, in accordance with the current contract and the established service provision levels.”

The nationality of the holidaymaker involved has not been revealed, but she is thought to be British.

It was not immediately clear this morning if she had been travelling alone or with family or friends.

In March last year two elderly passengers who had requested the service for people with reduced mobility at Lanzarote airport were left behind after they were “forgotten” and missed their easyJet flight to Liverpool.

Witnesses said at the time the pair had suffered “great distress.”

Reports at the time linked the incident to “serious deficiencies” in the management of the assistance service, saying workers had complained of difficult conditions with long days, lack of staff and constant pressure.