After watching viral TikTok video, passengers faking need for wheelchair at airport to avoid queues
According to the airport’s manager, after viewing a video of this on TikTok, airline passengers are jumping lines at Heathrow by acting as though they require wheelchairs. According to John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow airport, some travellers were using the available wheelchair assistance to try to get through the airport quickly, and this was “the wrong thing to be doing.”
On a flight from Ibiza to Bristol in June, a TikTok user recorded a video of themselves acting injured and being offered a wheelchair. “Faking hurting my leg to get through security faster and on to the plane,” the caption for the video that showed the individual taking off their shoe read. About half of incoming passengers who needed assistance, according to Holland-Kaye, did so after boarding the aircraft. Those who “really need the service” were asked to inform Heathrow “well in advance so we can make sure there are enough people there to meet your needs.”
Passengers “travelling with more than they normally would” and people failing to “check in all of their makeup” before passing through security, according to Holland-Kaye, are two factors that contribute to delays. Long lines at the airport have been experienced by many passengers this summer; the problem is attributed to a lack of employees. In order to relieve the load, the airport set a daily departure passenger cap of 100,000 for this month.
Following weeks of upheaval with travel, the airport on Tuesday declared an adjusted pretax loss of £321 million for the first half of 2022. Holland-Kaye received a deadline earlier this month to guarantee the Department for Transport that the airport had enough staff to conduct security checks and help passengers with disabilities.
(with inputs from agencies)
