Viral Photo Shows UK Journalist Crawling On Plane After Airline Fails To Provide Wheelchair

A British journalist who reportedly lost his legs in 2004 while reporting on the Middle East was recently forced to crawl across the cabin floor of a LOT Polish Airlines flight. The incident occurred due to the airline’s lack of onboard wheelchair facilities. Frank Gardner, a seasoned BBC correspondent, was returning from Warsaw when he found himself in what he described as a “shocking” situation. In a post on X, Gardner explained that he needed to use the toilet during the flight, only to be told by the crew that the airline does not provide onboard wheelchairs. As a result, he had no other option but to crawl.

“Wow. It’s 2024 and I’ve just had to crawl along the floor of this LOT Polish airline to get to the toilet during a flight back from Warsaw as ‘we don’t have onboard wheelchairs. It’s airline policy’. If you’re disabled and you can’t walk this is just discriminatory,” Gardner wrote in his post.

Despite the frustration, Gardner acknowledged the efforts of the cabin crew.

“In fairness to the cabin crew, they were as helpful and apologetic as they could be. Not their fault, it’s the airline. Won’t be flying LOT again until they join the 21st century,” he continued.

His social media post sparked widespread empathy, with users expressing disbelief. One person commented, “Shocking – so sorry to hear this, isn’t it time airlines are obliged to provide onboard wheelchairs to be able to hold licences to fly into international airports?”

“Would it be so hard to make a wheelchair that runs along the same gunnels that the trolleys do, and can lock in place if necessary so that wheelchair users can get to and from their seats? Pretty sure they would only need one per aircraft,” wrote another person.

An individual added, “Sorry, Frank. This is pretty tough on anyone and degrading. Thank you for your many years of great Middle East commentary and analysis. I have always appreciated your work and admire your stoicism.”

Gardner’s journalism career has taken him to some of the world’s most dangerous places. In 2004, while covering a story in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he was shot by Al-Qaeda gunmen, leaving him partially paralysed, The Guardian informed. LOT Polish Airlines is yet to make an official statement on the matter.