EasyJet blocks disabled athletes from boarding flight
EasyJet has blocked six disabled athletes from boarding a flight due to a lack of wheelchair space, reports BritPanorama. Italy’s national powerchair football team was left stranded at Rome’s Fiumicino airport after the airline refused to allow the athletes to board a flight bound for Glasgow.
The squad had been scheduled to travel on an 11.55am service on Monday to participate in a warm-up tournament ahead of the World Championships in Argentina. According to the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), the Italian Paralympic Powerchair Sport Federation (FIPPS) had secured authorisation from the airline in April to carry all six athletes along with their daily mobility wheelchairs and six specialist match wheelchairs.
Despite this prior agreement, the team was turned away at the gate. The airline’s justification, according to the team, was that the Airbus A320 operating the route could accommodate a maximum of five wheelchairs, one fewer than required. EasyJet allegedly proposed that one athlete stay behind in Rome while the competition wheelchairs would be sent on a different flight to Edinburgh rather than Glasgow.
The CIP deemed this suggestion “an offence to sporting merit, competitive preparation and the respect due to a national team that represents Italy on the world stage.” FIPPS contacted EasyJet prior to departure to reconfirm the arrangements but reportedly received no response.
The airline acknowledged the situation on Sunday and upgraded the aircraft to provide additional hold space but maintained it could not transport all 12 wheelchairs. Italy’s civil aviation authority has launched a formal investigation to ascertain whether EU regulations protecting the travel rights of disabled and mobility-impaired passengers were violated. The authority will examine the booking assistance procedure and communications with EasyJet to determine liability and possible sanctions.
Aeroporti di Roma distanced itself from the incident, stating their staff had been ready to assist the athletes when the airline informed them the passengers would not be accepted for reasons “unknown to ADR.” A reported miscommunication between EasyJet’s customer service department and the team’s coordinator regarding the total number of wheelchairs is believed to be at the root of the dispute.
CIP president Marco Giunio De Sanctis described the episode as “an unacceptable disgrace that takes us back decades on the human and social rights front.” He added, “Wheelchairs for a Paralympic athlete are not an ‘extra’ or bulky luggage, but the extension of one’s body.” He found it scandalous that, in 2026, EasyJet could first offer assurances to a federation and then abandon a national team at the airport, suggesting absurd solutions and potentially not reimbursing for the damage caused.
De Sanctis confirmed that the CIP would support FIPPS in pursuing legal action for compensation and would advocate for enforceable rules and penalties against transport operators who violate disability rights. He stated, “We will never tolerate such discrimination.”
An EasyJet spokesperson expressed regret for the group’s experience, noting that an internal investigation has been launched to understand the circumstances. They added, “Making travel accessible to everyone is a priority for us, and we take this matter very seriously.”
