The head of London’s Heathrow Airport is deeply outraged. He has recently heard numerous reports of travelers allegedly abusing a wheelchair. Recently, countless TikTok videos have gone viral of people smuggling wheelchairs past long queues – not because they are disabled, but because they want to get to their flights faster!
John Holland-Kaye told radio station LBC on Tuesday: “We are seeing greater demand than before the pandemic for passengers requiring wheelchair assistance.” Some people would blatantly abuse this to get to their departure faster. “That’s just wrong. We must protect those who really need help,” the airport boss emphasized.
Long waiting times due to lack of staff
Heathrow Airport, like other British airports, has been waiting for hours in recent days due to a dire staff shortage. There is a clear shortage of manpower, especially at the security checks, but also in the baggage handling area. Heathrow has now asked the airlines to cancel numerous connections. The goal is to reduce the number of departures to 100,000 per day.
Holland-Kaye suspects a viral TikTok video as the cause of the incident. The video shows a Briton at the airport on the Spanish island of Ibiza pretending an injury to get through security faster. A number of other clips with instructions to fake injuries more authentically then appeared on the social network.
Those involved should request help in a timely manner
Heathrow’s boss is now asking travelers with real needs to contact the airport in a timely manner and ask for assistance.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
