We had already talked about Anita Pallara, a woman with disabilities who, following a flight with a low-cost company, had found her wheelchair completely destroyed. Attention, we are not talking about any object but about something of vital importance, that “pair of shoes” that allows her to have a full, active and participatory social life, moving around the world without remaining a recluse at home.
Prams like that of Anita Pallara are made to measure in every detail: any imperceptible modification would result in its inactivity making it uncomfortable and inadequate, even causing physical pain.
Precisely for this reason it is unthinkable that an airline, instead of taking care of it, has treated such an instrument like any other package, not caring about the possible consequences.
What happened was recently also told to the program Strip The News where, together with Anita Pallara, the lawyer Edno Gargano also appeared, who offered his legal support to obtain the long-awaited answers from the airline (which never arrived after months) as well as adequate compensation.
Attorney Gargano, can you briefly summarize what happened?
«Anita Pallara booked the Bari – Cagliari flight with Ryanair to enjoy her summer holidays. At Bari airport, he regularly delivered the electric wheelchair to the company’s staff. When she arrived at her destination, however, she realized that it had been seriously damaged during transport in the hold ».
How is it possible that an asset of vital importance, as well as being so expensive, is put in the hold without any care?
«Unfortunately, all items or baggage that do not fall within the concept of” hand baggage “must be checked in. The methods of boarding are managed by the individual airlines but, without a doubt, goods of so much value should be transported with the utmost prudence and attention ».
Does it therefore appear to be a usual practice?
“Of course. There are many cases of wheelchairs embarked and destroyed by carriers during their transport. Although there is an evolution in boarding procedures, these events continue to be a source of damage for millions of passengers ”.
How much is the damage suffered by Anita Pallara?
“It’s really hard to quantify. Leaving aside the material damage to the wheelchair which has an average value of 30 thousand euros, we are faced with significant physical damage, as Anita had to use an old wheelchair not suitable for her physical condition, aggravating her already considerably compromised state of health. from the degenerative disease of which she is affected. Moreover, the event caused both moral and existential damage given that Anita had to give up happy and leisure opportunities such as travel ».
Did the well-known low-cost airline make itself heard?
“Obviously not. Nobody tried to find a solution or contact Anita. Nor has he responded to my requests for adequate compensation ».
What stage are we at from a legal point of view?
“We have attempted an out-of-court approach with various reminders to the company and we have submitted the matter to the attention of ENAC, the National Civil Aviation Authority, so that it can intervene to protect all passengers with reduced mobility”.
Next steps?
«Given the silence of the company, in these days we will go to notify a summons to the Court».
Meanwhile, Anita Pallara has managed to obtain a new custom-made wheelchair: how was this possible?
«He received it from the health authority of his territory. It is required by law in case of accidental breakage or technical impossibility of repairing the prosthetic device “.
Are you confident that the airline will provide adequate compensation?
«Confident and determined. The wheelchair is not a simple piece of luggage and, therefore, the company will have to compensate Anita Pallara without the limitations of liability envisaged for damage to luggage by international law ».
Can the citizen who buys an airline ticket in any way protect himself a priori?
“It could. International legislation provides for the passenger to declare the value of the goods before boarding. In this case, should an accident occur, the compensation should cover the declared amount ».
How could airlines improve to prevent similar situations from happening again?
“Informing passengers on the possibility of drawing up the declaration of the values on board, especially when these exceed one thousand euros”.
If you were to leave a message to people with disabilities who, after this story, have lost the desire to travel?
“Don’t feel less protected than others. I will fight in the first person so that the wheelchair is no longer framed as a simple baggage, but as a half-person. On the other hand, for some it represents just that: an extension of one’s body “
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
