Disabled passenger who claims she had to drag herself to the toilet on flight slams AlbaStar

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A disabled woman who claims she had to drag herself to the toilet on the floor blew up airline AlbaStar after cabin crew suggested she should have worn a diaper.

Jennie Berry, a wheelchair user who is paralyzed from the waist down, was traveling on an AlbaStar flight from Newcastle to Palma, Spain, last month when she needed to go to the bathroom but was told there was no aisle seat to assist her .

She said cabin crew had told her that people with disabilities should wear diapers on board flights, and that she would have to drag herself to the aisle toilet and be lifted onto the toilet by her partner.

After the incident, AlbaStar said it had called Ms. Berry to “apologize personally” for the incident after it went viral on TikTok.

Jennie Berry (left) spoke about her experience on Good Morning Britain

Jennie Berry (left) spoke about her experience on Good Morning Britain

Jennie Berry was on an AlbaStar flight from Newcastle to Palma when she had to drag herself down the aisle to the toilet

Jennie Berry was on an AlbaStar flight from Newcastle to Palma when she had to drag herself down the aisle to the toilet

Jennie Berry was on an AlbaStar flight from Newcastle to Palma when she had to drag herself down the aisle to the toilet

Pictured: Jennie Berry being lifted onto the toilet by her partner.  She uploaded her experience on the AlbaStar flight to TikTok, which went viral

Pictured: Jennie Berry being lifted onto the toilet by her partner.  She uploaded her experience on the AlbaStar flight to TikTok, which went viral

Pictured: Jennie Berry being lifted onto the toilet by her partner. She uploaded her experience on the AlbaStar flight to TikTok, which went viral

But Ms. Berry has criticized the airline for showing no empathy, “to say how devastated they were as a company, as opposed to how I felt.”

During a speech on Good Morning Britain on Friday, Mrs Berry told hosts Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway: ‘Except saying how devastated they were as a company, unlike how I felt.

‘I’m devastated by the reaction.

“Their current policy is that my partner should have dragged me from behind with my feet behind me or carried me – let alone 6 feet tall, I can’t be carried in that narrow gap.

“That would probably be more painful if that had to happen, take longer, create more scene.”

Ben then asked Mrs. Berry, “And that would be more dignified? It seems special that those are their key points.’

AlbaStar released a statement after the incident defending that there is no aisle seat on the flight

AlbaStar released a statement after the incident defending that there is no aisle seat on the flight

AlbaStar released a statement after the incident defending that there is no aisle seat on the flight

To which she replied, “There’s a lot to process there, a lot of key points where it’s just amazing that that’s the answer we’re getting here, rather than just granting access.”

Albastar said in a statement: “Our CEO called Ms. Berry to personally apologize and explain that on our many short-haul aircraft in Europe, the correct storage of these aisle seats is a major safety concern in the event of an emergency.

“Hardly any short-haul aircraft in Europe has these aisle seats, including some very well-known British airlines.

“Since it’s against cabin crew rules to lift passengers during the flight, the most important thing here is to ask why her partner didn’t help her go to the bathroom instead of spending his time filming.”

Jennie Berry said she felt 'humiliated' after the AlbaStar plane incident

Jennie Berry said she felt 'humiliated' after the AlbaStar plane incident

Jennie Berry said she felt ‘humiliated’ after the AlbaStar plane incident

Jennie Berry (pictured) said she was forced to drag herself to the toilet on the floor of the plane after saying cabin crew refused to help her

Jennie Berry (pictured) said she was forced to drag herself to the toilet on the floor of the plane after saying cabin crew refused to help her

Jennie Berry (pictured) said she was forced to drag herself to the toilet on the floor of the plane after saying cabin crew refused to help her

However, Mrs Berry has contested this. She said, “It’s a Boeing 737, which most airlines use. And most airlines – including low cost, low budget airlines like TUI, EasyJet, Ryanair – all have an aisle seat and they make room for it to be there. But this company just says no, despite having the exact same plane.’

‘I am a disabled traveler who travels a lot.

“Everything I do in life is planned in advance. It’s frustrating that they kind of turn it around like it’s my fault when in fact their policy says they don’t have an aisle seat on board and don’t have the amenities to have an aisle seat on board.”

During the flight, Mrs. Berry said a flight attendant suggested she should have worn a nappy on board.

She said, ‘Again, another amazing comment to make, which is just absurd. I don’t have to wear a diaper and to just have that kind of reaction as opposed to – you know, I didn’t ask anyone to wear me, I don’t expect to be carried.

“I know that’s not their job.

“I was just expecting a little empathy, help with clearing the aisle and just solving problems in a scenario where we’re mid-air, there’s no aisle seat, what do we know? And there was none of it.

“I think they were furious because I was stopping their drink cart.”

Ben concluded by saying, “The frustration is that the passengers on board showed more care and concern than the staff who looked after you there.”

Mrs. Berry said she would no longer travel with Albastar airlines.

She continued: ‘I’m just going to talk to the CEO – he has that attitude, has no understanding of disability or whatever that looks like to other passengers, and needs to keep an eye on that.

‘Or if I were carried, what if I fell for someone else? It’s not safe for anyone.’

“If I hadn’t filmed it, he wouldn’t have believed me.”

AlbaStar has been contacted for further comment.

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