Gatwick Airport insisted staff shortages were not to blame after a disabled man fell to his death on an escalator after getting off a plane without a helper.
An investigation has been launched into the incident, which happened after passengers disembarked an easyJet flight at the North Terminal on Wednesday lunchtime.
The Sun cited a source who said the man required special assistance to get off the flight but tumbled down an escalator after making his own way into the terminal. Three people who needed help to disembark were said to have been on the flight.
The death comes at a time when staff shortages have contributed to chaotic scenes at airports, with severe delays and reports of passengers with disabilities being left on planes for long periods before being assisted into terminals.
However, Gatwick insisted that staff shortages did not contribute to the man’s death.
It outsources its assistance service for people with mobility problems to a company called Wilson James.
A Gatwick spokesman said: “This is a sad and tragic incident and our thoughts remain with the family of the deceased. A member of Wilson James staff was waiting when the aircraft arrived and was in the process of disembarking the three passengers when the incident occurred.
“Staff shortages were not a factor in this incident. 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 a waiting buggy.
A formal investigation is currently under way and it would not be appropriate to comment further.”
EasyJet confirmed the death and said its staff had battled to save the man.
Staff shortages were not a factor in this incident as has been claimed
It added: “A number of our cabin crew provided medical assistance to a passenger while waiting for paramedics to arrive. However, the passenger sadly later passed away. Our thoughts are with their family and friends”
Earlier this month a woman from west London, paralysed from the neck down, was left waiting for assistance for over an hour and a half at Gatwick.
The airport apologised to Victoria Brignell, who was returning after a holiday in Malta.She said: “My wheelchair arrived promptly, but the people supposed to help me get off the plane didn’t turn up… they were busy elsewhere.”
Disabled BBC journalist Frank Gardner said he had been left stranded on planes four times in four years. The latest incident at Heathrow last month saw him stuck on an empty plane after being told there were “no staff” to help remove his wheelchair.
He said afterwards: “It keeps on happening. And it’s just so tedious.” Heathrow apologised for the latest incident.
Gatwick announced on Friday that it is capping the number of planes that use the airport in July and August to avoid a repeat of the “cancellation chaos” that ruined the trips of thousands of holidaymakers over the Jubilee weekend.
