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Parking.... I called them twice to discuss disabled parking before we went and was assured that the bus was totally wheelchair accessible. Oh Yes? First problem, was I dropped my husband and son at the terminal and said I would park the car.
1. The pay system is pay on foot so I had to schlepp myself out the car over to the pay station to pay £1. The machine is so high I couldnt reach and had to ask someone to pay for me. There is a help telephone but you still have to get out the car to get to it.
2. In the car park there are plenty of spaces for disabled drivers, but the assumption seems to be they can walk. I waited for the bus, when it arrived the driver let the front down, but as they havent bothered to build up the kerb there is a 6 inch gap. I pointed out I couldnt get up that so the driver very kindly hoisted me up. No good for him or me. Im sure hes had no wheelchair handling or training of any kind and there are real health and safety issues as well. At the terminal we had to reverse the whole thing........
But it gets worse coming back. Here goes, Ive removed the expletives although I should have left them in for effect!!!!!
I was waiting for the bus to go and collect the car when it arrives and the driver looks at me and lets the front down. Because they havent bothered to build up the pavement there is still a 5 inch gap. 'I cant get up there' I tell him, so he offers to pull me up. Now you know how some people just dont inspire confidence? He was one of them and I knew this deep down. but I had no choice so I said ok. The thing is Im a dead weight these days arnt we all?..., I cant just say hang on Ill just hop out while we sort this out. Im really reliant on someone getting it right first time, its totally my life in their hands. So he grabs the back bar on my chair and pulls me up, but does so really slowly so the front tips forward and my front wheels slide under the bus. Im just hanging there holding on for ******* life I tell you. Then he lets go and I slam forward just to be caught by a large guy who's stepped forward to help. Thank God all I can say. So Im sitting there with my face all squashed up against his chest having a good look at his shirt and the inside of his jacket. Is there no ******* dignity left in my life?!! It is funny but at the same time totally unacceptable. Its just as well I have a low SCI because anyone with a higher level of injury would have just been squished on the floor.
Im actually really really furious about it, you cant just provide half a facility, if they cant get their act together then they should at least move the disabled parking to the front of the building. Its hardly rocket science. I tell you this is a big accident waiting to happen and I dont want it to happen to me or anyone else for that matter. It smacks me of incompetance and could well be illegal. If I had fallen I would certainly had no compunction in suing the airport for as much as possible. So Im drafting the letters and am not going to let this one go, Im just so bloody furious about it.
Unacceptable, unacceptable, unacceptable.
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On the other hand, I hope he was good-looking and at least smelled nice. 
