Airlines / Airports

Leeds / Bradford Airport

April – 2025

Just returned from a most enjoyable, enlightening and relatively cheap 4 day break to Bucharest, Romania flying with Wizz Air from Leeds / Bradford. I explained in detail my condition to Wizz air and all they could offer me was……. a wheelchair. I may have cancer and extreme fatigue issues, but I can still walk and stand (if only for a short time). I had paid for up front seats to make sure I had quick access to the toilets, but they wanted to move these as well, to somewhere near the middle of the plane. Useless. I had purchased a ‘Hidden Disabilities’ lanyard for such events, so with my new lanyard, Nimbus Access Card and PCUK pin badge, I ventured into Leeds / Bradford airport.

Despite all the construction work which was going on outside the airport, we managed to find a disabled spot in the short stay car park (2 minutes walk for normal people), walked up to the main entrance, found our check-in desk and headed for security where I was faced with this sign;

Although it said no fast track, I asked a pleasant member of staff monitoring the travellers where the entrance for ‘Hidden Disabilities’ was, to be told just to go down the fast track queue. (I would definitely have struggled in the queue). My son and I got through security quickly at this point, after which we made our way to the departure area to people watch and work out which cultural hub of Spain they were planning on visiting. I wore the lanyard the entire time and lots of people in wheelchairs were congregating in an area close to the gates. The rest of the trip was pretty calm, Bucharest airport was pretty efficient and our taxi was waiting to take us to our hotel.

I wore the lanyard for the entirety journey home. No luck in Bucharest, but again Leeds / Bradford had a special lane identified for ‘Hidden Disabilities’ at passport control. So being last off the bus, and slow walking, I managed to get through passport control before the rest of my family who had abandoned me in the frantic rush to collect their luggage and get home.

Thank you Leeds / Bradford Airport for making those little changes which can have a massive impact on those of us who struggle with normal activities. It took the anxiety out of what can be a stressful experience.