Episode 12

Each year millions of passengers fly in and out of UK airports. Most of the time, catching a flight is pretty straightforward: we just check-in, jump on the plane and take to the skies.  

But for disabled passengers, it's not always that simple and they often have to rely on special assistance services at airports to help them get on their plane. 

An investigation by disabled X-Ray viewer Mel Davies has revealed some staff at Omniserv - which provides special assistance at airports including Heathrow - were lifting travellers incorrectly and abandoning those who needed help.

Mel, from Pontardawe, Neath Port Talbot, who is paralysed from the waist down, said she was left in pain after being incorrectly lifted by Omniserv staff on two separate occasions.

She also spoke to other disabled passengers who had had problems with Omniserv: One was left on a plane for 90 minutes waiting for a staff member to help her off after a flight from Canada; the other missed her flight completely after being abandoned in an airport.

Campaign group Disability Wales said the level of service offered by the company was “outrageous” and “humiliating”.

And former Paralympian Tanni Grey-Thompson, a member of the House of Lords, said she was "shocked" .

It comes after figures showed the Civil Aviation Authority received 279 complaints about special assistance services at airports around the UK in the last two years.

Omniserv has apologised, while Heathrow Airport said it was "deeply concerned" about the complaints highlighted by X-Ray.

If you are planning a holiday abroad, make sure you check when your passport expires.

Not doing so cost midwife Emma Ford a much-needed holiday to Bali with friends.

She had booked the trip over the phone with travel website The Flights Guru – but claims  there was no mention of her passport. 

When she got to the airport, however, she was told by check-in staff that she would not be able to fly.  

She was told that even though her passport still had two months left before it expired, Indonesia's immigration rules stated that it had to be valid for six months.  

Travel Expert Simon Calder says it is an all-too-familiar problem – and the responsibility to check different countries’ passport rules lies with the traveller. 

His advice is to always check your passport before you travel.  

In the European Union, United States, and Australia, your passport only needs to be valid for the length of your stay.  

But for more than 100 countries and territories, your passport has to be valid for at least six. 

If in doubt you can just renew your passport. If it is due to expire any time within the next nine months, you can renew it and you will get full credit for it. For example, if it was due to expire in November 2017 but you renew it early, it still won’t expire again until November 2027.

The Flights Guru said they sent Emma emails reminding her to check her passport. However, the company has agreed to look at verbally reminding customers at the time of booking.

And as a gesture of goodwill they're now going to refund the cost of Emma's air fare, which is almost £400.