My name is Rana Mudassar. I am a patient of osteogenesis imperfecta, an author, and completely reliant on an electric wheelchair for mobility.

In November 2024, I flew from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia and encountered repeated barriers due to my wheelchair battery. Despite showing the airline policy, security at departure refused to let me bring it onboard. Only after extensive resistance and intervention from the airline desk was I allowed to take it. On the return from Medina, the airport staff again denied the battery passage, forcing me into hours of stressful arguments. Finally, I managed to keep the battery, but upon arrival in Pakistan, my wheelchair was mishandled and its upper part was broken; my lifeline was severely compromised.

But my experience is not unique. Across the world, wheelchair users face similar challenges at airports from mishandling and damage to outright denial of their essential mobility aids. 

1. Engracia Figueroa (USA): Her custom wheelchair was returned broken after an American Airlines flight. The damage led to severe health complications, and she tragically passed away months later due to related issues.

    

2. Cory Lee (USA): A well-known travel blogger and disability advocate, Cory says nearly half his flights end with his $40,000 custom wheelchair damaged, such as in Barcelona, where a wheel broke and repairs cost €300.

3.  Andrew Gurza (Canada): His wheelchair was left outside in heavy rain on the tarmac in San Francisco, damaging electronics and making it unsafe to use. Another traveler, Colleen Flanagan, had her joystick smashed, leaving her stranded for hours.
    

   

4. David Thompson (UK): An EasyJet passenger forced to wait over 4 hours in a wheelchair at the wrong gate with no food, water, or updates. This caused severe discomfort and distress.

5. Emily Carter (Australia): Arrived in Melbourne expecting pre-booked wheelchair assistance. No staff or chair was provided, leaving her stranded at the terminal entrance.

6. Geraldine Freeman (UK): A Jet2 crew member told her during boarding, “In an emergency, we won’t come back for you.” She described feeling humiliated and devalued as a human being.

Final Call for Dignity and Justice

Airports are not just buildings they are gateways to the world. But for millions of wheelchair users, these gateways are filled with fear, humiliation, and unnecessary suffering.

A wheelchair is not “extra luggage.” It is the legs, the freedom, and the independence of the person who uses it. Damaging or denying it is not just poor service; it is stripping away a human being’s dignity.

This petition is not only a legal or logistical demand, it is a moral one. Every faith, every culture, and every moral code in history calls for kindness, fairness, and protection of the vulnerable.

What the Holy Books Say About Treatment of the Vulnerable
 

📖 Holy Qur’an (Islam)

“And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:195)
“And do not insult the disabled nor drive them away.”
(Surah Abasa 80:1–11)

📖 The Bible (Christianity)

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
(Galatians 6:2, NIV) 

📖 The Torah (Judaism)

“Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.”
(Leviticus 19:14)

📖 The Dhammapada (Buddhism)

“Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy.”
(Dhammapada 118)

Being a person with disability i demand on behalf of all special persons who are suffering from this:
 We, the undersigned, call on:

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
All national civil aviation authorities
Airlines and airport operators worldwide

To adopt and enforce global standards that:

1. Guarantee the right to travel with mobility devices and essential batteries without arbitrary seizure.
   
   
2. Mandate safe handling, secure transport, and immediate repair/replacement of damaged mobility aids.
   
   
3. Train all airport and airline staff in respectful, dignified assistance.
   Implement emergency evacuation protocols, inclusive of passengers with disabilities.

This is not charity. This is not “special treatment.” This is basic human dignity commanded by God, recognized by law, and long overdue in our airports.