Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov instructed the Directorate General "Civil Aviation Administration" to conduct a thorough investigation into a case that caused public outrage. The incident occurred at "Vasil Levski" Airport in Sofia, where a Bulgarian family with a 9-year-old child with limited mobility was removed from a Ryanair flight due to concerns about the child's wheelchair battery.
According to information provided by Minister Karadzhov, the family was initially allowed on board the plane for a flight to Toulouse via Bergamo. Subsequently, however, on the pilot's orders, they were removed with the argument that the wheelchair battery did not meet safety standards.
"As a father, I am deeply shocked by the pilot's inhumane treatment of the child", Minister Karadzhov stated in an official position distributed by the ministry's press center.
The minister pointed out that according to available information, the wheelchair was marked with a factory sticker certifying its suitability for air transport. The parents stated that the child had traveled with this wheelchair before without problems. Moreover, a preliminary check of Ryanair's technical data and general conditions shows that the wheelchair meets the carrier's requirements.
The management of "Vasil Levski" Airport intervened in resolving the situation, providing the family with a free flight to Toulouse via Munich on a Lufthansa plane. The fact that Lufthansa accepted the wheelchair on board further questions the validity of the initial decision.
"Of course, there should be no compromise on flight safety! But I'm becoming increasingly doubtful whether the battery is really dangerous for the flight", Minister Karadzhov commented.
The minister expressed his firm intention to refer the matter to the Commission for Protection against Discrimination if it is found that the pilot's judgment was unfounded. This case raises important questions about the rights of passengers with disabilities and the need for clear and consistent procedures when assessing the safety of assistive devices used by these passengers.