A recent incident reported by the Washington Post involved three individuals being left on the tarmac as their plane departed without them. Liz Weir, an author who uses a wheelchair, was among those left behind with her luggage on board. She missed a speaking event due to the delay in being able to catch another flight nearly eight hours later.
Weir, who was due to fly from Belfast to Edinburgh with easyJet, arrived early for the short flight. She was accompanied by another passenger in a wheelchair who was with their husband. As they reached the tarmac, the jet stairs were removed, and despite efforts to get the attention of the pilots, the plane took off without them.
In an interview with the BBC, Weir expressed her frustration at being left behind and the impact it had on her schedule and reputation. She emphasized the importance of airlines taking better care of passengers with mobility issues. Despite missing her flight, she was able to catch a later one and eventually arrived in Edinburgh late in the evening.
The airline, easyJet, acknowledged the incident and attributed it to a misunderstanding by their ground handling team and crew. They apologized for the disruption caused and promised to provide compensation for those affected. Belfast International Airport deferred to the airline for further comment on the matter.