Loose Women's Sophie Morgan says British Airways to pay for damaged wheelchair's repair

File photo dated 08/03/22 of television presenter Sophie Morgan, who has said British Airways has told her it will pay for damage to her wheelchair equipment, after a flight with the airline. The Loose Women star said her Batec, described as an attachment for a wheelchair which turns it into a mobility hand bike, was not working when she picked it up after leaving the plane. Picture date: Saturday June 10, 2023. PA
The Loose Women panelist had recently spoken out about the difficulties faced by wheelchair users on flights, Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

Loose Women Sophie Morgan said British Airways has told her it will pay for damage to her wheelchair equipment, after a flight with the airline.

The regular panelist on the ITV show said her Batec, described as an attachment for a wheelchair which turns it into a mobility hand bike, was not working when she picked it up after leaving the plane.

In an Instagram clip to her stories on Saturday, the presenter, 38, said: “British Airways have said they are going to pay for any repairs or replacements that I need, because there’s an electric fault that’s happened.

“I don’t know how yet, I haven’t got to the bottom (of it but) I’m grateful for that… So, all things considered, it could be a lot worse, but it just shouldn’t be the case in the first place.”

Sophie Morgan is often a panellist on ITV's Loose Women Credit: ITV Press Centre

She added there needs to be a “greater kind of commitment” from airlines to make sure there is action that prevents damage and goes further then “apologies and compensation”.

Morgan, who has also presented Crufts, the Paralympics, The One Show and Dispatches, said it is not the first time it has happened to her.

She said she will have a meeting with BA, which was already set for Monday before this incident, to discuss the issue.

The presenter, who was paralysed from the chest down in a car crash when she was 18, said: “I’m going to do everything I possibly can to try and make the situation better. ”

She had described the Batec as “not working” on Friday following a flight with BA.

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Morgan said: “I honestly don’t think I can actually take much more of this. I was just told to put a complaint in through the website again.

“Thankfully I know that’s not what I’m meant to do, but I’ve had no sleep, I’m absolutely exhausted.”

A spokesman for BA said: “We’re really sorry for our customer’s experience and are in direct contact with her to resolve the issue as we investigate what happened.”

Morgan recently spoke to ITV News about the challenges faced by wheelchair users on flights, saying human rights were not being respected by airlines.

'Captain told me to wear a nappy as my flight had no accessible toilet'

The star told of not being able to use toilets, her wheelchair being broken apart, and being told to "stand-up," when using various airlines.

She claimed a plane captain at one airline even once told her: “My dad wears a nappy on flights, maybe you should do the same,” when she realised she would be trapped on a four-hour flight with no wheelchair access to the toilet.

“Should I just wee on the seat?” she recounted replying in disbelief.

Morgan is lobbying the government for "urgent change," and wants Westminster to empower the aviation watchdog, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, to implement strict fines for airlines that make flying inaccessible for wheelchair users.

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