Allegations of passenger harassment surface against Emirates
Allegations of passenger mistreatment have been raised against Emirates Airlines after a 71-year-old Bangladeshi-origin US citizen was reportedly denied wheelchair assistance and left standing for hours during her journey to New York.
Contacted, an Emirates spokesperson stated, "We are investigating a customer complaint concerning mobility support at Milan Malpensa Airport."
The airline official added that they are taking the matter seriously and working with its airport and ground service partners to review the incident, assuring that the customer will be contacted directly.
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"We remain committed to providing accessible and inclusive service for all our passengers," the spokesperson added.
Laila Hussain, who was travelling from Dhaka to JFK on 10 July via Emirates flights EK587, was initially provided with a wheelchair at the Dhaka airport.
However, upon landing at Dubai International Airport, she did not receive the promised wheelchair at the gate, despite informing the cabin crew of her inability to walk, according to her family.
Emirates ground staff allegedly instructed her to "walk a bit" to receive assistance.
After walking a considerable distance, no wheelchair was provided.
During her layover in Dubai, she was also required to take a train to another terminal without any help, her family claimed.
The situation reportedly deteriorated at Milan Malpensa Airport during a two-hour layover for Flight EK205.
Contrary to standard procedure, all passengers were required to deboard the aircraft, and no seating arrangements were made available.
Despite her age and physical condition, Laila was allegedly left standing for two hours without any support, eventually falling ill at the airport.
Fellow passengers expressed shock at the handling of the situation, questioning how an airline of Emirates' reputation could leave passengers, particularly the elderly, without seating or assistance for such an extended period.
Her daughter, Ishrat Jahan, currently residing in New York, contacted Emirates customer service in Dubai to seek urgent help.
She claims to have received an insensitive response, quoting an Emirates representative as saying, "They can't help as she is not in Milan airport and why did I buy this ticket for my mum."
In a Facebook post, Jahan expressed her frustration: "These airlines are robbing us with their high-priced tickets. In return, is this the customer service we are supposed to get? The worst airline experience ever… no matter what emergencies I have, I will never choose Emirates again."
