Fly540 denies it locked out woman from entering plane
Local budget airline Fly540 has denied claims its pilot kicked out a disabled woman for taking too long to climb the stairs into the aircraft.
The airline gave a conflicting account, which contradicted Dr Agnes Nyaga’s.
According to the airline, Dr Nyaga, who was using crutches, struggled to get into the aircraft and was wheeled next to the aircraft as soon as it landed at the Eldoret International Airport at 8:15pm last Friday.
But after 15 minutes she had not managed to climb the stairs in spite of numerous offers for assistance.
REFUSED HELP
Fly540 did not only claim Dr Nyaga declined assistance from the airline’s staff but also accused her of insulting their pilot and strongly pushing him away.
The airline said Dr Nyaga returned to the lounge as other passengers boarded the flight.
“A colleague of the doctor’s then talked to the pilot and requested that we board Dr Nyaga,” said a statement from the airline.
“The pilot agreed and the colleague spoke to the doctor, but she refused, saying she would not fly with the pilot on duty.”
As the airport was about to close, the Fly540 pilot claims, he had no choice but to depart. He explained the situation to the rest of the passengers on board.
Dr Nyaga stayed at the airport in protest of her alleged mistreatment by Fly540 and refused help from the airline’s airport manager to put her up in a hotel for the night.
She was given a ticket from another airline to fly to Nairobi the following morning.
