A disabled easyJet passenger died at Gatwick Airport amid Britain's summer of travel chaos.
It has been alleged that the man fell down an escalator on Wednesday after assistance didn't arrive and he made his own way to the terminal.
Gatwick told the Mirror it was a "sad and tragic incident" but refuted claims an unnamed source made to The Sun that staff shortages had anything to do with it.
A Gatwick Airport spokesperson told the Mirror: “This is a sad and tragic incident and our thoughts remain with the family of the deceased.
“A member of Wilson James [private aviation services] staff was waiting when the aircraft arrived and was in the process of disembarking the three PRM passengers when the incident occurred. Staff shortages were not a factor in this incident as has been claimed. It is normal for one staff member to disembark three passengers who require assistance by taking them one at a time the short distance to the waiting buggy.
“A formal investigation is currently under way and it would not be appropriate to comment further.
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An easyJet spokesperson said: “A number of our cabin crew provided medical assistance to a passenger at Gatwick whilst waiting for paramedics, however the passenger sadly passed away.
"Our thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time.”
The alleged accident comes after months of issues experienced at airports by frustrated passengers who have faced long delays and last minute cancellations.
Several disabled passengers have complained of being abandoned aboard planes, long after the aircraft has landed.
BBC Security correspondent Frank Gardner found himself stuck on an empty jet after it landed back in the UK at Heathrow Airport from Estonia.
The veteran journalist, who began using a wheelchair in 2004 after being shot six times in Saudi Arabia, said it was the fourth time this has happened to him.
Last Monday a Sunair flight from Gatwick Airport was delayed for two hours because a disabled person was stuck onboard a plane.
Generally airports work with special assistance providers to ensure that people who need extra help getting on and off airplanes receive it.
Mr Gardner, 60, tweeted about his experience on the flight, explaining how it gave him the impression disabled passengers were not properly regarded.
"It's happened again. Stuck on an empty plane at Heathrow airport long after everyone else is off — 'no staff to get my wheelchair off the plane'," he wrote.
"I am SO disappointed with @HeathrowAirport as disabled passengers are once again apparently the lowest priority."
About 22 minutes after his original tweet, the journalist confirmed he had made it to the terminal.
Quamer Khaliq also found himself in the same situation in 2019 when the special assistance he'd booked to help him off the plane never arrived.
The 44-year-old, who has been dependent on a wheelchair since birth because of spinal muscular atrophy, remained in his seat after his Thomas Cook Airlines flight touched down at Manchester Airport following a nine-hour flight from Orlando in Florida.
After all the other passengers had left, Mr Khaliq, his carer and his daughter remained in their seats as the cabin crew and pilot disembarked.
Cleaners came and went and the drama only came to an end after newly recruited cabin crew came aboard for training and he threatened to dial 999 to get the fire service to rescue him.
The Mirror has contacted easyJet and Gatwick for comment.
