The Ministry of Transportation led a technical panel with the affected passengers and announced an investigation into the airline.
News Colombia.
Three women from Antioquia, wheelchair users and short stature, reported having been victims of discrimination by the airline Wingo, after they were denied boarding a flight between Bogotá and Medellín on October 1.
“We came to a festival to talk about discrimination and with the airline we were going to travel they made us experience it again. The worst thing is that airlines like @vuelawingo have retrograde and absurd policies that violate and discriminate against people with disabilities,” expressed those affected in a video broadcast on social networks.
The women, identified as Laurelin Alvarado Rodríguez, Aida Yolima Rodríguez and Christelle María Alvarado, reported that airline personnel denied them boarding, arguing that, due to their condition, they could not travel alone.
“We arrive at Wingo and they don’t let us travel because, according to them, we can’t walk alone, that we need aisle assistance and that they can’t take us to the seat. We always travel and do everything alone,” said one of them, assuring that they had never faced a similar situation with other airlines.
The Ministry of Transportation expressed its support for the three citizens and rejected the episode, considering it an example of the social barriers that many people with disabilities still face.
“Transportation cannot be a privilege, it is a right. The women who raised their voices today deserve respect and guarantees to exercise their mobility under equal conditions. From the Government of Change, we work for transportation that recognizes the dignity and autonomy of all people,” said the Minister of Transportation, Mafe Rojas.
After learning of the complaint, a priority technical table was formed on October 6, with the participation of the Ministry of Transportation, the Superintendence of Transportation, Civil Aeronautics, OPAIN SA (operator of El Dorado Airport) and the District Institute of Tourism (IDT). There they heard directly from the affected women and agreed on concrete commitments.
Assumed commitments
- Immediate investigation: The Superintendency of Transportation opened a preliminary investigation against Wingo to establish responsibilities and determine whether it was an isolated case or a repeated practice.
- Strengthening protocols: The Ministry, Civil Aeronautics and OPAIN will review the procedures for caring for passengers with disabilities to guarantee dignified and inclusive treatment.
- Continuous training: OPAIN will hold weekly sessions on accessibility and inclusion aimed at airlines and operators in the air sector.
- Accessible tourism: The IDT will support awareness and training programs on care for people with disabilities.
- Joint monitoring: It was agreed to hold periodic meetings with the three women to verify compliance with the commitments.
During the meeting, the entities agreed that empathy must be the axis of the entire transportation system. “It is not just about infrastructure, but about humanity. Each trip must be a safe and dignified experience for everyone,” stressed Minister Rojas.
Wingo’s response
When consulted by Semana, the airline denied having prevented the passengers’ access and assured that they received personalized assistance. “They were not prevented from accessing air transport and, on the contrary, they received support from our team, ensuring that they could reach their destination on a later flight on the same day,” Wingo said in a statement.
Later, the three women confirmed in another video that, after missing their initial flight, the airline allowed them to travel hours later, although they regretted the treatment received and asked that it not be repeated with other passengers.
“The airline in the end had to solve us because it was evident that it was not our fault but theirs,” they stated.
The case has sparked a national debate about the attitudinal barriers that people with disabilities still face in Colombia, especially in transportation and tourism.
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