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A disabled couple is suing the holiday company Thomson. Constance
Heath, 79, and her husband Raymond, 81, said they had requested
special help getting off the plane when they booked a £3,650 holiday to
the Cape Verde Islands. But the couple, who use walking sticks, claim
they were not assisted by staff. Mr Heath from Benfleet in Essex, said: “We are both disabled. I’ve had two replacement knees and my wife has had a new heart valve.” He said that when the plane landed, there was no one available to escort them down the steps. “One of the cabin crew shouted at us to ‘hurry up’. We lost our footing and fell from the top of the stairs to the runway.” Mr Heath said he landed on top of his wife. He was ‘dazed and bruised’ while she suffered a cut to her head and had to go to hospital. After four days she was discharged, but she was later readmitted and treated for suspected pneumonia. The couple had to stay on the island for a month. Mr Heath said his wife is now ‘permanently a bed patient’. A company spokesman said: “Thomson would like to assure all our customers that we regard their health and safety in the highest regard and we are sorry to hear of Mr and Mrs Heath’s injuries. As they have sought legal representation it would be inappropriate for us to make further comment on the case.” |