A Nigerian entrepreneur has accused Emirates Airline of discriminatory treatment after being denied boarding on a flight from China to Nigeria due to her mobility scooter.
Margaret Arinola Adeyileka, a disabled Nigerian woman who has been unable to walk for over 20 years, shared her distressing experience with the airline when she was attempting to board her flight in Guangzhou, China.
According to Adeyileka, Emirates staff at the check-in counter informed her that her mobility scooter would not be allowed on the aircraft, despite her having traveled with it on several occasions without issue.
The decision left Adeyileka shocked and humiliated, as her mobility scooter is essential for her daily movement. “For someone with a disability, a mobility scooter is not just a device — it is an extension of my body and my legs,” she said. “Being denied the use of it was like having my legs taken away.”
She expressed how the incident stripped her of her dignity and caused emotional pain, adding that she was left immobile for hours while the airline staff showed a shocking lack of empathy.
“I was left to struggle while the staff offered no assistance or viable alternatives,” Adeyileka explained. “I pleaded with them, but they showed no interest in helping.”
Adeyileka revealed that several onlookers, who witnessed the situation unfold, remarked that such treatment could only happen to an African, implying that Emirates had little regard for Nigerians. As the counter eventually closed, she was left with no choice but to board the flight without her scooter, or be stranded in China.
“In desperation, I agreed to board the flight, but I had to be physically carried onto the aircraft like a child, by three to four adults, because I weigh over 90kg,” she recalled. “The humiliation was unbearable.”
The incident has sparked outrage, with Adeyileka calling for Nigerian authorities to hold Emirates and other airlines accountable for their discriminatory actions, particularly towards Nigerians and those with disabilities.
“This is not just a personal grievance. This is about the treatment of Nigerians and people with disabilities,” Adeyileka said. “No one should be made to endure such indignity, especially from an airline that operates in our country.”
In an urgent message to SaharaReporters, titled “Urgent Appeal: Emirates Airline’s Discriminatory Action Against a Disabled Nigerian Passenger,” Adeyileka shared her story, hoping to bring attention to the injustice she faced.
“I am an entrepreneur, contributing to Nigeria’s economy and empowering others,” she said. “For the first time in years, I found myself in tears, overwhelmed by the injustice I faced.”
Adeyileka’s experience highlights broader concerns about the treatment of disabled passengers in international air travel. She emphasized that airlines must do more to ensure the rights and dignity of all passengers, regardless of their nationality or disability.
As Adeyileka continues her journey, she hopes to arrive in Nigeria on Emirates flight EK 783, scheduled for December 6, 2024. She called on Nigerian media platforms, like SaharaReporters, to amplify her story and shed light on the discrimination she endured.
“I am speaking out not only for myself but for all Nigerians who might face similar discrimination,” she said. “This needs to change.”
The airline’s refusal to allow Adeyileka to board with her mobility scooter raises important questions about accessibility and the rights of disabled passengers in air travel. While many airlines are striving to improve services for disabled passengers, incidents like this show that there is still a long way to go.
Adeyileka is now calling for immediate action to protect the rights of disabled passengers, particularly Nigerians, and ensure that no one is subjected to such discriminatory treatment in the future.
“This incident goes beyond just me,” she said. “It’s about the treatment of all Nigerians and people with disabilities. I want to see a world where no one is humiliated in this way.”
