Whizz Air apologises after cabin crew order amputee Ukrainian soldier off flight

Whizz Air has apologised after a wounded Ukrainian soldier was thrown off one of its flights.

The unnamed combatant had been flying from Tel Aviv where he had received treatment after reportedly losing his leg during fighting with Russian forces.

But after boarding the flight to Warsaw, he was told he wouldn’t be able to fly.

Video published on TikTok shows the man standing with crutches at the front of the plane and arguing with airline staff.

At one point he tells them he cannot sit down because of his prosthetic leg, and explains that he is flying to Warsaw to see his family who live in Ukraine.

According to TikTok user Mbbddk who recorded the incident, the man repeatedly asked the Wizz Air crew: ‘How am I going to get home?’

The soldier was asked to leave the flight after Whizz Air crew claimed he was not safe to fly

He reportedly showed the stewardesses a backpack containing gifts for his family and according to the TikTok user at one point ‘fell down and hurt his hands’ before he was ‘forced to leave the flight’. 

The man who is seen wearing sunglasses and a Burgundy coloured cap was eventually escorted off the flight after an hour and a half of discussion during which he was told ‘we are trying to solve this problem’.

According to independent Belarusian media outlet NEXTA said that the man was denied boarding due to his prosthesis because he was unable to sit in his seat properly.

The airline said he was removed because he was unfit to fly for medical reasons.

Following the incident, on Sunday Whizz Air said: ‘The passenger concerned was not in a fit state to fly and, in accordance with safety regulations, the crew was unfortunately forced to deny boarding … as much as they wanted to help the passenger get home to his family [the flight crew] acted with the safety of the other passengers on board in mind and in accordance with the required protocol, in consultation with the airport medical staff and the captain of the aircraft.’

The airline later added that it does not discriminate against passengers with disabilities, saying: ‘To be clear, we would never discriminate against someone on the grounds of a disability and regularly fly passengers with prosthesis.’

In aTwitter post on Sunday, the airline said: ‘We apologise for the upset caused regarding a passenger on our Tel Aviv flight to Warsaw recently.

‘Safety is our number one priority and it is our crew’s responsibility to ensure that all passengers are fit to fly or are accompanied by someone to support them.’

The airline is said to have now launched in internal investigation.