Vueling refuse to board passenger as wheelchair was´too heavy´

A CORUÑA court has condemned low cost airline Vueling for refusing to allow a disabled passenger and her assistant on board.

Anxela Lopez Leiceaga was told that her wheelchair was too heavy, and now the budget carrier must pay her €4,000.

Vueling will also have to pay compensation for transportation costs, accommodation, and all legal bills, as well as additional in emotional damage caused by the incident.

The rebuff left the passengers in a difficult and inconvenient situation. Scheduled to arrive at Santiago on September 8, 2015, they instead arrived five days later, after a costly journey with another airline from Amsterdam to Barcelona, and then a nine hour train ride to Santiago.

According to Lopez Leiceaga, her wheelchair had travelled with her and there were no issues on the Vueling flight from Santiago to Amsterdam.

As for the alleged difficulties cited by Vueling, the head of the company claims that there were problems with the chair on the outward bound flight, but that attendants did not realise until the last moment.