Home Office Ignoring EHRC Debacle on Disabled Passengers

The Home Office fails to recognize the EHRC unilaterally discontinued assisting disabled passengers with their complaints.

"The EHRC remains a complaint handler for air passengers with reduced mobility," is the Home Office official position.

However, the Home Office acknowledges the Equality and Human Rights Commission has unilaterally decided to stop providing conciliation services (disputes handling) to disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility.

The EHRC did not put forward any proposals to provide a cost-effective conciliation service when its contract with Mediation Works expires on 31 March 2012, and we were therefore unable to assign a specific amount of funding for this in the EHRC’s budget allocation for 2012/13," the Home Office explains. 

"Notwithstanding that, it is for the EHRC to decide whether it wants to continue to make arrangements for the provision of a conciliation service from within its allocated budget. We understand that the EHRC has taken the view that it is unable to fund this service with effect from 1 April 2012."

What does this mean? Passengers filing a complaint with the EHRC are told the Equality and Human Rights Commission will not be able to manage their complaint.

“Unfortunately due to our funding being cut we are no longer able to offer conciliation for cases related to EC Air Regulations 1107. Therefore we are unable to intervene in your case," the EHRC has been telling passengers with reduced mobility since the beginning of March 2012.

Despite the evidence, the Home Office continues to ignore the issue, putting the UK in violation of Article 16 of the European Regulation protecting the rights of the disabled traveling by air.

Quite the ideal scenario for the country hosting the Paralympic Games 2012.