By Bianca Capazorio
Brothers Bradley and Warwick Muller, who have cerebral palsy, were shocked at being required to pay R1 300 for assistance to board a Nationwide Airlines flight from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town.
Like other disabled passengers not able to use stairs, they have to rely on a passenger aid unit (PAU), a vehicle with a hydraulic lift.
But while other airlines don't charge passengers for this service, Nationwide does. The Mullers refused to pay. They were ferried on a special wheelchair to the plane.
'In the safest and most comfortable way possible' "I made it known, in no uncertain terms, that this was pathetic and unconstitutional, but my argument fell on deaf ears," Muller said.
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Nationwide Airlines customer care manager Jannie Claassen said: "Hiring costs of the PAU can range from R325 to R500 per use at each airport for each flight movement, and these costs are for the passenger's own account.
"Because of the few requests received by Nationwide Airlines from passengers who require this type of service, and due to the exceptionally high cost to purchase, maintain and staff these vehicles, it is not economically viable for Nationwide Airlines to purchase these vehicles."
Disabled People South Africa spokesperson Olwethu Situka said: "Disability is a human rights matter and this is infringing on those rights by failing to (provide) what disabled people need to function as a part of society."
SAA spokesperson Jacqui O'Sullivan said they provided a PAU, but did not charge.
Nor did Comair, which operates both British Airways and Kulula.com, said spokesperson Stuart Cochrane.
"There are some airports where we don't have the equipment and will hire it, but we won't charge," said Cochrane.
Nationwide, Comair and SAA hire PAUs from Equity Aviation.
Airports Company of SA spokesperson Colin Naidoo said it was up to an airline to ensure passengers were put on a plane "in the safest and most comfortable way possible".
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This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Times on May 10, 2006
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