Ryanair leaves Ukrainian passenger with disability stranded in Norway for 2 days

Why the Ukrainian man was stranded at Oslo Airport

Bohdan Voloshyn had been living in Norway under temporary protection for two years. When he was preparing to return home, he was unable to board his scheduled flight from Oslo Airport. According to him, the problem arose because his wheelchair had not been included in the booking.

"Ryanair left a person with a Group I disability stranded at Gardermoen Airport for two days. The problem arose when it turned out that my wheelchair had not been listed in the travel documents due to negligence by the staff at Kiwi, the company through which I purchased my ticket," the man said.

According to Bohdan, he had flown to Oslo from Kristiansand with SAS. There had been no problems transporting his wheelchair on that flight.

"However, Ryanair representatives at Oslo Airport caused a scene. They demanded an additional check-in fee, even though I had already checked in myself and paid 400 Norwegian kroner, but it made no difference. As a result, flight FR7101 departed without me. I ended up in a situation similar to that of the main character in the movie The Terminal (a film about a man who becomes stranded at an airport due to documentation problems and can neither enter the United States nor return home — ed.), despite being a person with a Group I disability who uses a wheelchair," Voloshyn said.

The man was forced to purchase a new ticket and wait for the next flight.

"I still haven't been able to resolve the issue of getting a refund for my ticket and reimbursement for all my hotel expenses. I intend to file a complaint about such discriminatory treatment of a person with a disability. They treated me like luggage," Bohdan added.

The man acknowledges that he did not fully understand the ticket booking rules. However, even after he checked in online, Ryanair staff did not help him board the plane and instead suggested that he walk to the aircraft, despite the fact that he cannot walk.

What Kiwi and Ryanair say

RBC-Ukraine contacted Kiwi to clarify the situation involving Bohdan Voloshyn. The company said the booking did not include a request for special assistance or wheelchair accommodation.

"The booking does not contain any recorded special-assistance or wheelchair request. That means we have no assistance details in this booking to pass on to the airline. For Kiwi.com bookings, special assistance must be entered by the passenger or their representative in My Trips > Special Assistance. We can only forward a request that exists in the booking system," Kiwi emphasized.

RBC-Ukraine was unable to obtain a direct response from Ryanair regarding Bohdan Voloshyn's case. However, the airline's support chat explained its general rules for transporting passengers with disabilities.

"He was denied because we may refuse boarding a passenger with a disability only when safety requirements or the aircraft’s size/door configuration make it physically impossible for the passenger to travel safely. Our policy also states that passengers requiring assistance must arrange it at least 48 hours before departure; without a feasible safety solution, carriage can be refused. Note: Some of these," Ryanair's support chat stated.

Ryanair's website also provides rules for passengers who require special assistance. In particular, the airline asks passengers to submit the relevant request no later than 48 hours before their scheduled departure.

RBC-Ukraine is prepared to publish Ryanair's response regarding Bohdan Voloshyn's case.

How passengers with disabilities can avoid similar situations

First and foremost, passengers should carefully review the airline's rules and follow them:

• Arrange special assistance in advance if required by the airline's rules. Inform the airline of your needs at least 48 hours before departure.

• Check your booking. If you purchase a ticket through a third-party service, make sure it has forwarded your request for assistance and wheelchair transportation to the airline. Your ticket or confirmation emails should include a special service request code.

• Keep your confirmations. Emails, booking references, and other documents can help prove that you informed the airline of your needs.

• Ask for an explanation if you are denied boarding. Request a written explanation of the reason and keep your tickets and receipts for any additional expenses.

• File a complaint. Contact the airline and the service through which you purchased your ticket. If the issue remains unresolved, you can contact the relevant aviation authority.

If a passenger has not requested special assistance at least 48 hours before departure, this does not automatically mean they will be denied assistance. The responsible services must make reasonable efforts to arrange it. However, whether assistance can be provided depends on the circumstances of each case.

Last year, Irish low-cost airline Ryanair stopped issuing paper tickets and switched entirely to electronic tickets.