Brits are pretending to be disabled to avoid mega airport queues, it has been claimed.
As travel chaos engulfs the UK - with hundreds of flights cancelled and hours of waiting - reports have shown a dramatic increase in people asking for disabled assistance.
Birmingham Airport says it has seen a 20% rise in the number of people asking for wheelchairs and it has had to bring in extra staff.
Passengers who are disabled have a right to assistance getting through airports and can pay a fee to use fast track lanes.
Concerns were raised at a meeting on Wednesday, which was attended by transport secretary Grant Shapps.
An inside source at the meeting told MailOnline : "If people are pretending it’s potentially stopping genuinely disabled people from getting a place, and that’s pretty grim.
"You can’t just say to people “no, you’re lying”."
While an industry boss at the meeting said: "There should be a special place reserved in hell for people who pretend to be disabled."
Many disabled people have spoken out about the poor treatment they've received at airports, claiming they've been left stranded with their wheelchairs either being lost or damaged.
Others have said they often face hurtful claims that they are faking their disabilities.
The claims comes as multiple airports around the UK have had to deal with an influx of half-term holidays and staff shortages.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has suggested the British Army should be called in for the foreseeable future to help with the disruption.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, called for a regulator with "real teeth" to dish out punishments.
Mr Boland said: "The shameful scenes at UK airports this half-term are the result of an industry in which some airlines feel they can get away with ignoring consumer rights and acting with near impunity.
"It is clear that passenger rights need to be strengthened … and the Civil Aviation Authority must be given the power to issue direct fines so it can hold airlines to account when they flout the law."
