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BLF Campaign To End Disability Discrimination Suffered By Air Travellers The vast majority of airline companies do not allow people to bring their own portable oxygen concentrator or cylinder on to their planes while simultaneously charging hundreds of pounds extra to use the supplementary oxygen that the airline provides. The British Lung Foundation believes these additional charges are a breathtaking form of disability discrimination. We are therefore campaigning to ensure that all people who need supplementary oxygen when travelling on planes can do so without paying extra. They are calling on airlines to provide oxygen for free, to allow passengers to bring their own oxygen supply on board and to ensure that they make their policies on these issues absolutely clear. Following Radio 4’s ‘You and Yours’ recent Thomson Airlines announced that they have changed their policy to allow passengers to bring on their own oxygen cylinders or concentrators completely free of charge. This is a major step forward in the campaign which is calling for all airlines to end the additional charges and restrictions that are placed on people travelling with oxygen. In campaigning on the issue, the British Lung Foundation are asking people to contact their MEP pointing out that this is a clear case of discrimination and that these additional charges raised by the travel industry and airlines should be dropped. In support of the British Lung Foundation the Co-ord has written to Brian Simpson MEP and Arlene McCarthy MEP to raise the issue of air travel discrimination against those passengers who need to travel with some form of supplementary oxygen. ALL union safety reps are urged to support this campaign and contact their MEPs. Download model letter to MEP's here Also, if you wish to contact your MEP see www.writetothem.com The website for further information is www.lunguk.org If in the interim you or someone you care for needs supplementary oxygen and are concerned about travelling on planes then contact the BLF Helpline on 08458 505020. Souce: BLF / D Maylor
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