Disabled traveller left 'housebound' after wheelchair damaged beyond repair on Aer Lingus flight

A disabled traveller whose £2,700 wheelchair was broken on an Aer Lingus flight has said they were left "housebound" for months and forced to spend their life savings on taxis and food deliveries after the airline refused repayment.Winter Mraz, 36, head of design at craft supplies company Sophie & Toffee, from Liverpool, noticed their power chair was bent and making a "squeaky-grinding" sound after travelling more than 20 hours from Phoenix, Arizona, to Manchester on April 3.Winter, who was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and Fibromyalgia in 2009, which means they cannot walk more than a few feet without being in pain, contacted the wheelchair manufacturer, EZ Lite Cruiser, to evaluate the damage.Their report, concluded the chair had suffered "serious damage to the frame" and "we recommend the device is replaced as it not safe to use in the current condition".Aer Lingus, who has since apologised, initially refused to offer Winter compensation because the damage was not reported at the time of arrival or within seven days.Now, four months later, the airline has agreed to cover the cost of a new chair but will not offer any further compensation.Winter, who is due to start a Masters at the University of Liverpool in September, has spent months afraid to use the damaged chair for fear it would collapse, only leaving the house a handful of times when necessary.Winter said that living without a chair has decimated their savings due to additional costs, such as having to pay for food deliveries and Ubers to get around.To help Winter cover their losses, close friend Dana Andersen has launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe which has received more than £3,000.