Former rugby player George Balte, who uses a wheelchair, said on Thursday that he was not allowed to board a TAROM flight from Bucharest to Cluj-Napoca “for security reasons”. Moreover, his booking would be canceled without notice, News.ro notes. At the same time, TAROM representatives claim that after booking the ticket, a suitable option for people with disabilities was noted, and the companion of the former athlete was informed that the safety rules did not allow him to fly on the corresponding plane, offering alternative flight options.

“The truth is that I haven’t felt it in a long time and I don’t think I wanted anyone to remind me of it, but TAROM managed to show me that in 2023 discrimination still happens. Today I had a flight to Cluj with @tedynecula where we were invited as speakers for an event. But it didn’t happen again, because TAROM denied me boarding for security reasons,” wrote George Balta on Facebook about what happened.

@georgebalta6 #tarom does #discrimination ♬ original sound – George Balta

He recalled that Teddy Necula, who accompanied him, had been at the airport the night before to check if everything was OK, but “he was brushed off by the staff at the time”.

“Having purchased tickets, confirmation of disability assistance, today I discovered that my ticket was canceled without notice on the grounds that the aircraft flying to Cluj is an ATR and does not take people with reduced mobility on board. Solution: We give you a ticket for a 17:00 flight. Basically, you fly when they want, not when you need. In 2023, TAROM writes on its website that it is a modern company, but uses planes only for a certain category of people. Not to mention that a person with a disability cannot choose assistance and type of disability directly on the website. You need to call the call center or go to one of their agencies to get an assessment,” said the former athlete.

For his part, Tedi Nekula said that similar things have been happening in TAROM “for several months with a lot of people with disabilities from the country.”

“Tickets were taken 7 days ago via kiwi, with a booking note for help desk (according to Tarom rules which state you have to give at least 48 hours notice if you need help). I indicated the dimensions of George’s chair. I booked through Kiwi because that’s where I usually buy my tickets and also because if you tick any form of help on the Tarom website when you want to buy a ticket from them on the website they won’t let you, they send you to buy at the counter… For five days, Tarom did not confirm the request for help, and on the phone where they say to call on their website, they do not even answer,” Nekula said.

The athlete’s former companion said he had received confirmation from Kiwi that the assistance service was available for both of them and George Balte’s boarding pass.

“When you buy a ticket, it doesn’t say anywhere that you won’t be allowed on the plane if you’re in a wheelchair, and they don’t even show you the model of the plane. Also, Tarom canceled George’s ticket last night without informing us or the Kiwis!! Today at the airport they were knocking from corner to corner with increasingly loud voices, and more and more people do not know, “we have work to do.” In addition, they lie that Dom’le, the plane has changed. That’s not true, you knew from the beginning which plane the race was on at that time and you still can’t help but get on board. Every other airport managed to board these planes for years – and still does. And for some time it was done without any concern for Bucharest. No matter where I’ve left the country, even with George, this has never happened to me, regardless of the plane. It’s about people and how stupid they are to some of the rules they invented, which are completely discriminatory and prevent the right of movement of people with disabilities,” Nekula also confirmed.

• The story of a rugby player in a wheelchair: “Doctors gave me three hours to live. It was the best thing that could happen to me, now I look at the world with different eyes!

What TAROM says

The Romanian National Air Transport Company (TAROM) sent a press release on Thursday that it “offers assistance to all people who have limited mobility due to temporary or permanent motor, visual, hearing or mental impairment, or due to age or illness throughout the journey, from reservation or purchase of a ticket before arrival at the destination”.

“In order to launch these services and be able to adequately advise passengers, the company must receive information about the presence of a special request at least 48 hours before take-off. The request can be sent to any TAROM agency, travel agent or through the TAROM call center (depending on the booking method). Any variant of information or request must be reported to the company at least 48 hours before the departure time. This procedure is available on the home page. Relevant information is extremely necessary, since the goal of each flight is to ensure maximum safety conditions for all passengers, in accordance with international and national rules of air transport,” the company’s representatives noted.

They also mentioned the incident involving George Balte on December 6.

“Unfortunately, on December 6, one of our passengers, the famous former rugby player George Balte, found himself in a situation that no person should have to go through, especially a person with reduced mobility. The purchase of a ticket made through a specialized website was made without checking the need for a Cabin for the disabled. This requirement was entered into the system only after the ticket was issued. After verifying the claim, the reservation system no longer confirmed the requested service on the flight to Cluj (neither on 2nd December nor on 3rd December on the second attempt) as this did not allow the flight to be secure. His situation was reported to TAROM only the day before (December 5) by his companion who arrived at the airport, who was also personally informed that the flight in question was not permitted by security regulations. TAROM offered him alternative options to fly on a different type of aircraft, also on 6 December, and canceled his booking for the race, which did not allow transportation for safety reasons. However, the accompanying staff introduced themselves during boarding with Mr. George Balte, even though he knew the situation he had put him in, ignoring all the information given,” TAROM representatives claimed.

They added that during check-in, the agent correctly found that the passenger did not have a valid reservation, the passenger was completely immobilized and therefore could not be boarded on this flight as the relevant regulations are mandatory and expressly prohibit such boarding for the safety of all passengers.

“We deeply regret the situation and hope that no person with a disability will ever have to go through situations that make them more vulnerable rather than support them through the ordeal they are going through. The TAROM team is constantly striving to improve its work and is open to any suggestions from its passengers, but at the same time we cannot allow false information to overshadow TAROM’s commitment to its passengers, regardless of their condition, or to directly affect communication with the Romanian public or through public opinion Until now, we have advocated and practiced honest communication with the general public. We intend to continue to practice honesty in any situation, regardless of whether it benefits us or not, in the general interest of the public and the Romanian state,” said Bohdan Popescu, CEO of TAROM.

TAROM has presented the steps to be followed by people with disabilities / reduced mobility:

“1. If you need assistance at the airport or in the cabin of the plane, please send your request to any TAROM agency or your travel agent, preferably at the time of booking, but no later than 48 hours before departure. If you have made a reservation online, please contact the TAROM call center, but no later than 48 hours before departure.

2. For the safety of passengers with disabilities or limited mobility, an attendant may be requested to assist in emergencies or with basic needs (using the aircraft toilet, feeding or taking medication, etc.). .).

3. A companion is needed only in the following cases:

– If the passenger has a serious mental disorder that prevents him from understanding and applying safety instructions.

– If the passenger is blind and has hearing problems, it prevents communication with the crew.

– if the passenger needs special care or medical assistance during the flight.

– If the passenger cannot eat or use the toilet of the plane on his own due to a disability.

– If the passenger is physically unable to independently participate in the evacuation of the aircraft. The companion must meet the following requirements: Must be over 18 years of age/ Must be physically and mentally fit/ Must not be caring for another person (such as a child, infant or other person with limited mobility).

4. All our planes are equipped with seats with movable armrests. However, there are a limited number of places available for people with reduced mobility. Please check availability at the time of booking.

5. For safety reasons, passengers with limited physical capabilities or limited mobility may not travel in the row with emergency exits or in the row located immediately in front of and behind the row with emergency exits.

6. For safety reasons, the number of fully immobilized passengers (WCHC) and those traveling on stretchers is limited depending on the type of aircraft, as indicated in the table presented on the TAROM website (https://www.tarom. ro/informatii -pasageri/despre-calatorie/persone-cudizabilitati.html).

7. If you book in-cabin wheelchair services and are traveling alone, you must be able to take care of your own needs in the aircraft lavatory and in the seat (eg: feeding, taking medication or transferring from your seat to the aircraft lavatory). If you are unable to do so, you must be accompanied by another person aged 18 or over who can provide you with the necessary assistance.

8. Please note that our planes are not equipped with a wheelchair on board.

9. The table on our website (https://www.tarom.ro/informatii-pasageri/despre-calatorie/persoonecu-dizabilitati.html) shows the allocation of seats for passengers with reduced mobility depending on the type of aircraft, valid for all configurations passenger cabin”.