The BBC’s Frank Gardner criticizes the airline after she crawled to the toilet during a flight

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner described how he was forced to crawl on the floor of the plane to get to the toilet on a flight from Warsaw to London.

In an article on the BBC’s website, Gardner, whose legs were paralyzed after being shot six times by al-Qaeda sympathizers in Saudi Arabia in 2004, said his experience flying with LOT Polish Airlines was “physically profoundly uncomfortable and, of course, also quite degrading.”

“In this case, having to move around the floor of the plane in front of other passengers in my suit was humiliating,” Gardner said.

“LOT Polish Airlines, which operates flights to and from Heathrow, has stated that it is not its policy to have aisle chairs on board. This is unacceptable for disabled passengers as these devices are smaller than a stroller and can be easily folded to fit in a cupboard or overhead bin.”

Gardner said British Airways, easyJet and every other airline he has flown on recently had aisle chairs on board.

“This is 2024, not 1970, and I find it extraordinary that an airline can fly to and from UK airports under a policy that effectively says ‘if you can’t walk, you can’t go to the toilet on our airport’ planes,” he added .

LOT Polish Airlines told the Guardian: ‘We are deeply sorry for the distressing experience that Mr Frank Gardner had on his last flight with us. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and discomfort caused by the lack of a wheelchair on board.

“Currently, wheelchairs are available on our Dreamliner aircraft. However, due to space constraints, our short-haul fleet does not yet have this facility. We understand the importance of accessibility and are actively testing solutions to equip our short-haul aircraft with on-board wheelchairs in the near future.

It continued: “As mentioned on our website, on long-haul flights we provide wheelchairs on board to assist passengers in moving around the cabin. In addition, our ground staff is always ready to assist passengers from check-in to boarding and from the aircraft to baggage claim.

“We deeply regret the inconvenience Mr. Gardner has experienced and sincerely apologize for the distress he has caused. We are committed to improving our services to ensure that all passengers have a comfortable and dignified journey.”

Gardner stated that the Polish cabin crew on the flight were “fantastic” and “as helpful as they could be”.

In 2017, Gardner was left on board an easyJet flight when it landed at Gatwick Airport. He was stuck again in 2022 and flew back to the UK on Iberia Express.