A Napier woman claims she was left “black and blue” after being forced to slide down aircraft stairs during a round trip to Dunedin.
Disabled passenger Rachel Adams, 52, was flying with Air New Zealand last month when she was told she would have to “get on [her] bum” and slide down the steps to get off the plane.
Air New Zealand said its crew made a “decision they believed would ensure everyone’s safety at the time” due to weather conditions, and had apologised to Adams for falling short of expectations.
However, Disability Rights Commissioner Prudence Walker said there had been a dozen complaints alleging unlawful discrimination against disabled passengers in the past two years and noted inaccessible planes and inadequate support were all too common experiences for such travellers.
“It’s not just about complying with the law, it’s about treating people with dignity and respect.”
Adams had travelled with her family from Napier to Dunedin on October 21, planning to fly via Wellington.
With severe weather cancelling the first flight and requiring a transfer in Christchurch, their pre-booked seats were reassigned to a separate row for mobility assistance.
Their ATR 72-600 arrived in the Garden City amid strong winds. As standard practice, Adams was told to wait until other passengers had disembarked before cabin crew informed her there would be no ramp or mobility hoist available due to the conditions.
“What got me was that the ground crew, who were wonderful to me, wanted to go and get the hoist ... but the cabin crew said it was too windy,” she told the Herald.
“They said, ‘You’ve got to get down somehow’.”
According to Adams, one of the pilots insisted she would need to get down the stairs unaided.
With no alternative offered, she was told to “get on [her] bum” and slide down the steps, narrowly avoiding hitting her head on galley equipment in the process.
Adams said she suffered large bruises down her arm, stomach, back and leg from the manoeuvre.
“I got black and blue ... I was mortified,” she said.
“I don’t think anybody else would have had to slide down the ramp that day.”
Adams said other aircraft were using hoists despite the winds and didn’t understand why her flight was treated differently.
Issues persisted during their return to Napier on October 30.
Cabin crew allegedly told Adams ramps weren’t available at gate 7 after they landed in Christchurch, and a hoist was sourced only after the rest of the passengers disembarked.
Adams lodged a formal complaint with the airline on October 31 and received an apology and 200 Airpoints Dollars, but said “a refund would’ve been better”, noting that the attitude of staff and the way the situation was handled did not meet her expectations.
As a resolution, she wants clearer answers from the airline about why mobility equipment was withheld and why seats booked in advance can be reassigned without explanation.
Air New Zealand chief safety and risk officer Nathan McGraw told the Herald the weather in Christchurch “meant it was unsafe to use a ramp or mobility hoist to disembark customers” from the aircraft.
“During adverse weather events, conditions can change rapidly and our team made the decision they believed would ensure everyone’s safety at the time.”
McGraw said it had “reviewed the events with the crew involved to ensure we continue to learn and improve how we support customers with accessibility needs”.
“We have been in direct contact with Ms Adams and offered our apologies for her experience. We appreciate her taking the time to share her feedback with us.”
Walker said air travel was already stressful, “but for disabled people it can be a nightmare”, with assistance needed for boarding and disembarking, seating and luggage.
Airlines therefore had a responsibility under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Human Rights Act to make it as accessible as they could.
“Disabled people travel for work, want to explore and want to connect with loved ones. We deserve to do so with the support we need,” she said.
“The way that airports, airlines and staff provide for and respond to our needs can make all the difference.”
Elderly disabled passenger Bruce Gordon shared separate concerns about treatment from the airline in a recent Facebook post.
Gordon, who is profoundly deaf and walks with a cane, said Air NZ relocated him from a window seat he paid extra for at the rear of an ATR to a middle row so a staff member could sit in his seat.
He was left feeling “embarrassed and hurt” after being made to wait until all other passengers had left before he was permitted to disembark due to his disability.
After submitting a complaint, Gordon was told it could take weeks to find out whether he would receive a refund.
“Time will tell if they even bother to contact me.”
Air New Zealand told the Herald it had also moved to compensate Gordon following his complaint.
Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.
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