Claire Harvey: Team GB paralympian forced to drag herself off plane operated by official airline of Paralympic World Championships
Ms Harvey said her 'completely humiliating' experience began at the departure gate when a female staff member called her “the wheelchair” while talking to a colleague
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Your support makes all the difference.A Team GB paralympian has described how she was manhandled, referred to as “the wheelchair” and forced to drag herself to the exit of a plane operated by the official airline of the Paralympic World Championships.
Claire Harvey had been hoping to rest her injured shoulder as she returned home early after competing in the discus and javelin at the recent world championships in Doha.
Instead, she said she had had to use the aircraft’s seats “like monkey bars”, putting her weight on her hands to drag herself to the front of the Qatar Airways jet.
Ms Harvey told BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours how her “completely humiliating” experience on 30 October began at the departure gate when a female staff member called her “the wheelchair” while talking to a colleague.
She said she was then given an aisle seat instead of being placed next to a window as she normally is. When the two people next to her wanted to use the toilet, she said, “they literally had to climb over me”.
After all other passengers had left the plane at the end of the flight, she was told there was no special aisle wheelchair to take her to the front of the aircraft.
Ms Harvey said: “A steward said ‘You have to leave now’ and started to manhandle me. I was 49 rows back. I ended up having to utilise the seats either side of the aisle almost like monkey bars, taking my weight on my hands and dragging myself to the front, with him pushing me to go faster.”
Four days after Ms Harvey’s flight, the airline issued a press release in which its chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said the company was “honoured and proud” to have been the official carrier of the championships.
“We were pleased to welcome so many incredible para-athletes to Doha, and hope that all left with pleasant memories,” he added,
A spokesman for the airline said: “Qatar Airways is fully committed to providing a five-star service to all. For passengers with disabilities, we ensure cabin crew are properly trained to provide assistance. We are investigating this incident fully and will respond to Ms Harvey shortly.”
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