A disabled man was removed from an EasyJet flight. His only offense? He couldn’t walk to the toilet unaided.
Barry Dobner, 79, said the incident destroyed his self-respect. He called it the most humiliating experience of his life.
The disabled passenger had informed easyjet about his needs before the flight
Barry suffered a stroke 18 years ago. Since then, he’s relied on a wheelchair for daily movement and travel.
Despite this, he has flown six times in his condition. He says he always plans carefully before flying.
For his 80th birthday, he booked a trip to Athens. His wife Alison and a friend were traveling with him.
They booked wheelchair assistance in Greece. Barry also informed EasyJet of his disability when booking the flight.
Everything appeared to be in order until they boarded the plane at Manchester Airport on April 3.
Easyjet staff asked whether barry could walk to the toilet before removing him from the plane
A flight attendant noticed a urinal bottle in Barry’s bag. She asked Alison about it during boarding.
Alison confirmed it was for emergencies. The attendant then asked if Barry could walk to the toilet.
When Alison said no, the response was swift. The attendant said, “You have to get off this plane.”
The entire group was removed from the flight. They were picked up from the airport by a friend.
Barry said the public removal made him feel like an object rather than a person
Barry described the scene as deeply embarrassing. “The whole plane was watching,” he said. “They knew I couldn’t walk.”
He added, “I’m not a person anymore. My self-respect had gone right down.”
“The whole plane was standing up watching what was going on. They knew I couldn’t walk when they put me on the plane. I felt like an object. My self-respect had gone right down.” he continued.
Alison was shocked. They had flown EasyJet before with no issues. “They had all the information,” she said.
She also noted how surprised the passengers were. “The other passengers were sitting there gobsmacked,” she recalled.
The family lost money and filed a formal complaint with Easyjet
Barry said the incident cost them over £2,000. That included the missed flight and other trip expenses.
They contacted their travel insurance provider. They also filed a complaint with EasyJet immediately after the incident.
“We don’t know if we’ll get the flight money back,” Barry said. “It’s just been such a blow.”
EasyJet released a public statement after the incident. “We are very sorry Mr. and Mrs. Dobner were unable to fly,” they said.
The airline promised a full refund. They also offered compensation for denied boarding.
In response to public outcry and the formal complaint, easyJet issued a statement apologizing for the incident.
“We are very sorry Mr. and Mrs. Dobner and their companion were unable to fly as planned with easyJet,” the airline said. “We are in touch with Mr. Dobner and his party to apologize for this error, refund their flight in full, and provide denied boarding compensation.”
Crew members are permitted to assist disabled passengers to and from the lavatory during the flight.
The incident has raised questions about easyjet’s treatment of disabled passengers
Barry’s case highlights a serious concern. Even when passengers declare disabilities, mistakes can still happen.
Removing a disabled man from a flight because he couldn’t walk is now under public scrutiny.
The situation raises larger questions about airline policies, staff training, and consistency in applying accessibility protocols.
Until those concerns are addressed, others may face similar treatment—despite following all the rules.