A disabled plane passenger suffered a broken arm and was left 'humiliated' after he claims a friend was forced to carry him to the toilet when Ryanair failed to provide a wheelchair onboard.
Daniel Rooney, from Solihull, West Midlands, is now taking legal action over the 'nightmare' journey from Birmingham to Portugal.
The 38-year-old suffers from muscle wasting condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy and uses a specialist wheelchair, Birmingham Live reported .
But he says a birthday trip to Portugal was ruined when Ryanair staff refused to allow his chair into the cabin and then failed to provide an on board replacement.
He claims he was 'humiliated' after a friend was forced to carry him to the toilet in front of other passengers.
He then suffered a fracture to his arm after falling off, he says.
“Halfway through the flight I needed the toilet," he said.
"Normally I will have a urine bag strapped to my leg, but it had fallen off so I knew that I couldn’t use it.
“My friend asked the stewardess if it was OK to go to the toilet very discreetly in the urine bottle that I carry. We asked everyone around us first, it happens very discreetly no one would have known it was going on.
“But my friend was point blank told to take me to the toilet. There was another hour or so left on the flight so there was no way I could last for that.
“My mate had to actually physically carry me down to the toilet. He had to hold me on the toilet because I have low balance and I’m constantly slipping.
“But I finally did slip and banged the top of my shoulder on the side of some metal thing that was in the toilet. I knew straight away I’d hurt myself.
“On the (Ryanair) website it said there is a wheelchair on the plane, for people that need it, but I wasn’t offered it.
"I told them at check in what my necessary needs will have to be.”
Daniel claims the fracture was later confirmed by doctors.
He has spoken to solicitors and is now taking legal action against Ryanair.
He continued: “I used to be able to feed myself before the accident. But since I broke my arm, I’ve basically lost the ability to feed myself now.
“I struggle to use my phone now because my arm doesn’t do what it was doing before the accident.
“The specialist said under normal circumstances said he would recommend it be pinned or plated. But because of my condition they don’t want to put me under anesthetic.
“It’s made me not want to fly again
“If they’d have offered the wheelchair fit for the plane and taken me to a private area I could have used the urine pot discreetly.”
Ian Hass is Managing Director of Ellis Hass & Co Solicitors which has taken up the case.
He said: "The attitude of Ryanair in failing to provide a little human kindness has left him not only injured but also humiliated and there really was no reason for this to happen.”
A spokeswoman from Ryanair said: “We cannot comment on pending legal matters.”
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