A pensioner from Hyde has claimed Manchester Airport is discriminating against disabled people with their car park charges.
David Heap, 63, has a blue badge for a lung condition which means he can only walk short distances. He and wife Glynis are jetting off to Madeira next week to celebrate her 65th birthday, but have baulked at the price of parking at the airport — £160 for 10 days.
He says that as disabled people often need to use their cars to get around, there should be a discount for blue badge holders at the terminal. For its part, the airport says it takes ‘assistance requirements very seriously’, adding there are a range of options for customers.
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However, David believes that the issue affects ‘everybody that’s disabled’. He told the Manchester Evening News : “What is the point of a person being given a blue badge if the airport gives you a space but does not help you to reduce the parking price?
“A lot of people have their cars specially adapted so they can drive them. For some disabled people, getting in and out of taxis is virtually impossible. They need to use their own vehicle.
“They want £160 for 10 days’ parking — there’s no disabled reduction. They just give us a parking space. They want you to put the blue badge on your car but they will not reduce the parking charge. It is closer, but it is first-come, first-served — you are not guaranteed a space.”
Airport bosses did not deny that a space in Terminal Two Multi Storey West — the car park David looked at — for a blue badge holder was not guaranteed. However, they say there are 195 disabled spaces in the car park, which represents five percent of the total, so is in line with industry standards — and it has never been an issue before.
David’s concern, though, is that the parking charges will simply price disabled people out of holidays. He continued: “The price has nearly trebled since before the pandemic. It was cheaper to go in the car, now this time, I have got to get a taxi for £25 each way. It is just ridiculous.
“Disabled people have not got a lot of funds, when you say you pay more in insurance, and we have to pay more for a hotel that accepts disabled people. It is just out-of-hand. Where’s £160 coming from?
“The airport is supposed to be helping us, not hindering us. Every disabled person will come across this if they want to go on holiday. That, for me, is discrimination to disabled people.
“I want to go on holiday. It is not only for myself, my partner deserves a break and she will no go without me. I want to go away to give her a break after she’s run around after me. Why should councils give blue badges out to give free parking when you still have to pay that money at the airport?”
In response, an Airport spokesperson said: “We take special assistance requirements very seriously at Manchester Airport and were rated ‘good’ in the CAA’s most recent accessibility report.
“There are a number of options to get to and from the airport, whether by car or public transport, all of them with the relevant adjustments to make them disability-friendly. All of our car parking products offer ample parking reserved for blue badge holders, with quantities in line with industry standards, and passengers who hold a valid blue badge are able to access the forecourt areas, free of charge, for drop-off.
“We do welcome feedback on how we can improve accessibility, however, and would invite the gentleman concerned to contact us directly so that we can discuss this further. We have an airport accessibility forum which considers such feedback and makes recommendations on service improvements.”
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