Passenger blames Delhi Airport officer for 'mistreating' her wheelchair-bound mother

Satyani Sinha Mathur, the aggrieved passenger, demanded to the Delhi Airport, Indigo Airlines, DGCA and Airport Authority of India that security officer, who made fun of her wheelchair-bound mother despite knowing her old age and inability to move on her own, be suspended.

New Delhi: In a shocking incident, a passenger blamed the security officer at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) for mistreating her wheelchair-bound mother.

Taking to X, the passenger Satyani Sinha Mathur said that "A 79 yo wheelchair passenger was mistreated by T2, Delhi security officer. My mom was asked to get up despite knowing her disability.He also made fun of my mother's incapability.6E2158,19th Jan'24. Suspend him @DelhiAirport @DGCAIndia @AAI_Official @IndiGo6E."

• Dear Sayantani,
  This is certainly not the experience we want you to have. Please help us to know more about the incident via DM for us to look into it. https://t.co/kf2UrTHXDE

  — Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 25, 2024 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Dear Sayantani,
  This is certainly not the experience we want you to have. Please help us to know more about the incident via DM for us to look into it. https://t.co/kf2UrTHXDE

  — Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 25, 2024

  ">

  Dear Sayantani,
  This is certainly not the experience we want you to have. Please help us to know more about the incident via DM for us to look into it. https://t.co/kf2UrTHXDE

  — Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) January 25, 2024

She appealed to the Delhi Airport, Indigo Airlines, DGCA and Airport Authority of India to suspend the security officer who made fun of her wheelchair-bound mother despite knowing her old age and inability to move on her own.

Replying to this, Delhi Airport on X said that, "Dear Sayantani, This is certainly not the experience we want you to have. Please help us to know more about the incident via DM for us to look into it."

Last year in December, disability rights activist Arman Ali accused Air India Express and airport officials in Guwahati of refusing to bring his personal wheelchair on board near his seat, which led to four persons lifting him on another wheelchair.

He had alleged that he felt being lifted like baggage and accused the officials of violating the PWD Act and DGCA guidelines.

Similarly, a Vistara business-class passenger with limited mobility took the airline to the consumer court last year in October for allegedly not providing her with proper wheelchair assistance on a Colombo to Mumbai flight.

The complainant also alleged that the airline crew put her through humiliation in front of other passengers by insisting that she get up from her seat and walk down a ramp when she in severe pain and not in a position to do so.

According to the Delhi Airport Special Assistance for Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRM) / Divyang, "Delhi Airport is well equipped to provide services to passengers/patrons with reduced mobility and special needs" including "reserved vehicular lanes to drive your vehicle through", availability of "Special assistance/PRM phones at multiple locations near you to call your airline for assistance" and others.