On Monday Lufthansa left a wheelchair passenger to fend for themselves boarding an aircraft at a remote stand in Frankfurt. Reportedly Lufthansa ground staff asked passengers on the Frankfurt – Austin flight LH468 to lift the man onto the plane, because no one from the airline would do it. One of the passengers was injured in the process.
Lufthansa in Austin
A passenger on the flight reported that the airline “did not have the equipment or staff” to help the wheelchair-bound passenger up the boarding stairs to the aircraft.
Flight attendants said they aren’t allowed help for liability reasons, so they stood by and watched as passengers assisted the man onto the aircraft — and one of the passengers got hurt “with some cuts in his legs” from the wheelchair.
(1/3) Today has been the most shameful day I’ve experience while traveling thanks for the awful care of @lufthansa and @Airport_FRA.@lyricmykle and I were among the last to board LH 468 along with a couple consisting of a young lady and a gentleman in a wheelchair.
— Saianel (@saianel) September 2, 2019
(2/3) LH did not have the equipment or staff to help the gentleman in the wheelchair board. A LH employee asked if we could carry the disabled man up the stairs in his wheelchair. He offered to carry our bags while we did the work!
— Saianel (@saianel) September 2, 2019
(3/3) Some of the flight attendants just watched while we carried the poor guy up the stairs of the remote gate. @lyricmykle ended up with some cuts in his legs from the wheelchair. I feel terrible do the passenger who wouldn’t had been allowed to board if we hadn’t helped
— Saianel (@saianel) September 2, 2019
The passenger was given a 25 euro inflight shopping voucher for the inconvenience.
Here is their “I’m sorry” note in case you doubt what happened. pic.twitter.com/myHSAUlORM
— Saianel (@saianel) September 2, 2019
I reached out to Lufthansa on Monday and they’ve gotten back to me with a statement,
The well-being and safety of our passengers are always a top priority for Lufthansa. We therefore take this case very seriously and are currently investigating, together with our service provider, why and how this incident occurred.
The German flag carrier says they’re seeking more information from the flight crew and promise an update.
LH is very serious of fulfilling what they perceive as their obligations. They are even more serious at not fulfilling what they consider themselves not obligated to do. LH requires advance notification for any special situation. Flights departing their Z gates can have walks that seem to exceed one mile. When we asked for a ride for my wife they declined since we had not informed them of any disability. We had not planned on a short term strain due to overdoing it the day before. On another trip I asked for help with the steep steps at the gate. Yes, LH has steps at their gates and has an escalator and elevator that they refused to use. Ultimately I had to do the steps or miss my flights. I am of an age at which I do not consider myself disabled but would rather avoid carrying my permitted gear on steps.
ah yes, flying to Texas. They should be used to pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps
@Donato, the message is that always order wheelchair service when flying Lufthansa, one can always decline if the plane is at a convenient jetway!
It’s sad to read their disdain for passengers but it doesn’t surprise me
I flew them once in First Class and wasn’t impressed with anything except the first Class lounge in Frankfurt which was very nice
But even then it was a hassle to get access and no one wanted to assist me finding it
Eventually I prevailed
Onboard the food was horrible a precooked hamburger ? Disgusting
Seat was fair enough
With their expiring miles and unfriendly unhelpful business culture by too many I couldn’t see myself flying them ever again
Their expiring miles by far are their worst sin of all
Despite raves from One Mile At a Time flying Lufthansa made me stay loyal to One World
We have been to Germany and other European cities. they DO NOT give disabled people a pass but they are expected to cope with life like everyone else. America is the ONLY country where you will find wheel chair and mobility carts all over Airports, grocery stores, shopping malls, etc We just do not see them in Europe and Oceania countries like in the USA. When in Switzerland we saw a wheel chair bound person get on a city bus and get off with out the help of anyone. You do not see so many handicap parking spots at a supermarket in England as you do in the States because it is not abused there like it is in the USA
LH staff are the old guard, the “Primarily Here for Your Safety” crowd. They almost begrudgingly serve drinks and food, then have a list of things they have to do but after that…NEIN!!!!
It’s on the same level as Air Canada and BA. it’s all about what they don’t have to do. Not what they can
My mom flew Lufthansa from Frankfurt Germany to Dulles in the us. We requested wheelchair assistance. It did not work out the way it so post too.
In Frankfurt she was parked , all the peoples went into the air plain and she still was sitting there waiting for the assist to come back to assist her to the airplane.
She almost missed the flyed if she would not raised here voice.
Also the same thing Dulles side. No wheelchair avialiable , than Findley there was, but than got parked . Waited over 1 hour before some one pushed her wheel chair going true costumes.
This was rediclus.
When we arrived at the Rome, Italy airport two men came on board and lifted my son out of his seat and into a chair to exit the plane. Our driver in Rome helped me lift my son into his wheelchair. We booked our trip with Accessible Journeys. I think Covid helped to put them out of business. I’m planning a trip to London. This time it’s all up to me. I’ve been researching the wheelchair accessibility for the various places we want to go in London. I make sure I notify the airline of my son’s wheelchair when I book the flight.