Patrizia Saccà denied boarding on Ryanair flight due to wheelchair battery dispute

Patrizia Saccà, a former Paralympic table tennis medalist, was prevented from boarding a Ryanair flight from Turin-Caselle to Crotone due to disputes regarding her electric wheelchair attachment.

Saccà arrived at the airport at 8:20 AM for a 9:50 AM flight and presented technical documentation for her 300 Wh lithium battery, which meets the maximum limit set by IATA regulations. However, airline staff claimed the necessary information was not available in their system. Despite her requests to speak with a manager, the flight was closed at 9:20 AM without her.

After spending the day at the airport, Saccà eventually secured a flight to Lamezia Terme with the assistance of a ticketing agent. Saccà, who won a bronze medal at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics, stated she is not looking for culprits but rather answers regarding the rights of people with disabilities to travel with dignity and without avoidable obstacles.