“I use a wheelchair. I was repeatedly asked to stand up for the security check despite telling the CISF personnel that I’m unable to.”

On the 27th of November, 2018 I was flying from Mumbai’s International Airport to London. Just like all the times I have taken a flight in the past, I was made to wait after collecting my boarding pass. The CISF agent would need to manually put my wheelchair through a scanner.

I had to sit on a regular chair while my wheelchair was scanned. When I arrived for the security checkpoint, the agent informed the CISF agent at the booth that my wheelchair had been scanned. He also mentioned to her that I am unable to walk.

As soon as I went inside the booth, the lady repeatedly asked me to stand up! Her tone was rude and aggressive, I kept telling her that I cannot stand, whatsoever. I was shocked. She started insisting that she’d lift me up and have someone else pat down my backside for me. I replied with a firm no, because I don’t have the strength in my knees to bear my weight.

“If I would’ve fallen, who would be responsible?” 

I suppose that made her angry and she started patting me down. As soon as she reached my legs, she lifted my right leg so high that my knee went into a cramp, which caused a spasm. The pain was unbearable. I had to sit through a 20 hour flight in pain before I could get medical assistance. I wanted to file a complaint but I was unable to.

What shocks me the most is that almost every international airport in the world has a ion mobility spectrometry, which allows them to take strips and swab wheelchairs, shoes, and hands to see if there is any explosive residue.

By doing this, a disabled passenger doesn’t need to get out of their wheelchair. Every international airport except India’s International Airports has a ion mobility spectrometry.

Sign my petition asking the Airport Authority of India to install ion mobility spectrometry at all Indian airports. This will reduce the need to manually scan a wheelchair and reduces the insensitivity that people with disabilities have to face.

Join me in making our airports inclusive for all. Let us all #FlyWithDignity!