Airport bust-up

Jan 31 2008 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AIRPORTBUST-UP

THE parents of a schoolboy who broke both legs in a skiing accident launched a scathing attack on the standard of service at Manchester Airport.

Ben Cousen, 11, of Cliff Street, Clayton West, snapped the tibia bones in his legs when he fell on the slopes of the Pirin Mountains, in the Bansko resort in Bulgaria.

It was only the second day of a holiday with his parents, Belinda and Craig, and sister Daisy.

He spent the rest of the week laid up in their hotel room before the family flew back to Manchester.

Mrs Cousen, 38, said they expected airport staff to help them when they touched down.

She said: “Unfortunately this wasn’t the case and the response we received totally shocked us. We couldn’t believe how unhelpful the staff in the airport were.

“They couldn’t provide us with an adequate wheelchair for Ben and the staff totally refused to assist us through the airport.

“At one point my husband was one-handedly pushing our luggage while pulling my son in a wheelchair, while I held up Ben’s legs, which were potted to the thigh, as well as trying to keep our four-year-old daughter with us.”

The Cousens flew to Bulgaria on January 13, arriving at their resort the following afternoon.

The next day Scissett Middle School pupil Ben, who had been taking skiing lessons before they left, was on a gentle slope with his father, 39, when he fell.

His skis failed to come loose, causing his legs to twist and break.

He was treated at a local medical centre but spent the rest of the holiday confined to the hotel.

Mrs Cousen said: “He was absolutely brilliant – he kept us all together really. If he had been down it would have got the rest of us down, but he kept his spirits up.”

The family flew out of Sofia airport on January 20.

Mrs Cousen said the service they received at Sofia was superb, in contrast to Manchester.

She added: “In this day and age, the fact an airport the size of Manchester – which claims to be committed to delivering an exceptional service – can show a complete lack of sympathy and compassion when we needed them most is a disgrace.”

Ben, who plays football for Skelmanthorpe United under-12s and is a black belt in kickboxing, will take three months to recover fully from the accident.

A spokeswoman for Manchester Airport said: “We are obviously very concerned to hear about the Cousen family’s experience and would like to wish Ben a speedy recovery from his skiing injury.

“We provide assistance for more than 160,000 passengers with restricted mobility every year.

“We are working hard to make the terminals even more accessible for disabled customers and people with reduced mobility a year ahead of changes to European Union legislation.

“The changes will make airports responsible for the provision of wheelchair and specialist support services.

“We have not heard directly from the family, but will investigate any complaint thoroughly and speedily.”