BBC Frank Gardner: BBC News journalist, left paralysed after shot by al Qaeda sympathisers, 'forced to crawl to toilet' on flight

Security correspondent Frank Gardner posted a picture on X, formerly Twitter, showing his legs on the floor of an aircraft, which he said was on a flight back from Warsaw, operated by LOT Polish Airlines, on Monday (1 October). He described how he had "just had to crawl along the floor to get to the toilet” as the airline said “we don't have onboard wheelchairs, it's airline policy”.

The 63-year-old called the situation "discriminatory" to anyone unable to walk. He blamed the airline rather the cabin crew who he said were "as helpful and apologetic as they could be".

The veteran correspondent was left paralysed in his legs after he was shot six times by al Qaeda sympathisers while reporting from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia in June 2004. His colleague, cameraman Simon Cumbers, was shot dead in the attack.

Mr Gardner posted on X: “Wow. It’s 2024 and I’ve just had to crawl along the floor of this LOT Polish airline to get to the toilet during a flight back from Warsaw as ‘we don’t have onboard wheelchairs. It’s airline policy’. If you’re disabled and you can’t walk this is just discriminatory.” Many social media users responded to his post on X saying the incident on the flight is “outrageous” and “appalling”.

One user wrote: “Shocking - so sorry to hear this, isn’t it time airlines are obliged to provide on board wheelchairs to be able to hold licences to fly into international airports.” Another said: “How is this still happening in 2024?! Absolutely appalling.”

In a statement, LOT Polish Airlines said it was "deeply sorry" for Gardner's "distressing experience" and the "inconvenience and discomfort caused by the lack of an onboard wheelchair." It said onboard wheelchairs are available on its Dreamliner planes but not on its short-haul fleet because of "limited space". The airline is testing solutions to equip short-haul aircraft with onboard wheelchairs "in the near future".