Wheelchair user prevented from boarding Eurostar over ramp

Sam Jennings claimed she was not allowed to get on the Eurostar train despite having reserved a ticket for a wheelchair space.

A disability advocate reported that she was denied access to a Eurostar train heading to London because she hadn't arranged for a ramp in advance, despite having a ticket for a wheelchair-accessible area.

Sam Jennings, 46, who relies on an electric wheelchair, shared that the personnel at Gare du Nord station in Paris observed him waiting in line to check in. However, when he reached the front, they redirected him and instructed him to go to the office to arrange for a ramp.

After she posted a message to Eurostar on X last Sunday, they eventually supplied a ramp, but she described the experience as "extremely frustrating" and said it only added to the stress of her journey to the Paralympics.

Eurostar has expressed regret and stated that Ms. Jenning's request for a ramp was not processed due to a failure in communication between their systems.

Ms. Jennings expressed that her issues with Eurostar only contributed to her sense of being regarded as an "inconvenience" during her travels around Paris for the Paralympics.

Ms. Jennings, who lives in Streatham in south London, mentioned that she had confirmed with the staff earlier that day if there was anything else she needed to do besides booking her ticket. She was informed that no further actions were necessary.

In an interview with BBC London, she shared that she was requested to provide documentation proving her need for a ramp, even though she was already in her wheelchair. She commented, "It felt like a trivial display of authority."

In a discussion with Eurostar on X, she expressed her frustration by saying, "Why do we need to go through extra steps to reserve a ramp when traveling with you? It should be done automatically."

Ms. Jennings mentioned that she has faced over 30 instances of "zero access fails" lately, which include situations like being abandoned on trains and individuals not assisting her with the ramp.

In February 2023, she was unable to submit a campaign letter at 10 Downing Street due to the lack of an appropriate ramp that would have allowed her access to the front door.

Ms. Jennings mentioned that posters on Eurostar trains stated the company was "proud to support" the Paralympic teams. The Paralympic Games took place in Paris this month.

She stated that Eurostar created a lot of fuss but still added an “additional obstacle” for those using wheelchairs.

"They're honoring the accomplishments of athletes with disabilities, but for fans with disabilities, the truth is a lack of concern," she remarked.

She went on to say that by the time she returned home, she was "fuming with anger" and had spent the entire night "sobbing" due to what she had gone through.

Ms. Jennings mentioned that while Eurostar advertised its commitment to assisting Paralympians, her own experience was quite the opposite.

Ms. Jennings expressed that her difficulties with Eurostar had contributed to her sense of being viewed as a "nuisance" while navigating Paris during the Paralympics. Despite this, she felt a strong sense of belonging and connection when attending the events, describing the experience as being part of something much larger.

She mentioned that people with disabilities had "missed out on Paralympic events for which we had tickets because the city wasn't accessible. Surprisingly, there was a shuttle service for disabled individuals, but you had to reserve it 48 hours ahead of time."

"I reached Paris on Friday afternoon, which meant I couldn’t get accessible transport for the events I had tickets for," she explained, stating that she felt "completely let down on Sunday because they shut down the roads in the city for the marathon, and wheelchair users can't take the Metro."

A representative from Eurostar stated, "We are sorry for this situation and recognize the stress it may have caused the traveler as they waited for a solution."

Upon conducting a deeper inquiry, we found that a mistake made by a person led to the passenger ramp booking being overlooked during the transfer of information between systems.

You can be confident that whenever a traveler selects a wheelchair space on our London routes, the ramp will be reserved without fail.

"Today, we recognize that we've made a mistake. We're committed to enhancing our systems and tools, and we've already started working on it."

Further contributions by Chelsea Coates.