4-year-old girl with disability certificate sent to stairs with family: El Al to pay compensation

A family arriving at Ben Gurion Airport with four small children, including a 4-year-old girl holding a disability certificate, claimed they were forced to descend a long flight of stairs on their way to the plane while managing the children, a double stroller, and luggage.

The Small Claims Court in Tel Aviv determined that El Al failed to provide the assistance required under the circumstances and ordered the airline to pay the plaintiffs 5,000 shekels in compensation without proof of damage. The lawsuit against the Israel Airports Authority was dismissed.

The lawsuit alleged that El Al and the Israel Airports Authority violated their duties under the Equal Rights for People with Disabilities Law and accessibility regulations for public transport. The couple sought compensation for discrimination, humiliation, and emotional distress caused by the lack of assistance.

According to the verdict, the family arrived at the Terminal 1 gate for a flight to Cyprus. One of the girls, aged 4, holds a disability certificate and has a line-waiting exemption. The parents stated they were told they must descend a long staircase to reach the shuttle bus, while ground staff pressured them, claiming they were delaying the flight.

The plaintiffs claimed that due to this pressure, they were forced to navigate the stairs with infants, a heavy stroller, and luggage. They requested assistance and asked about using an elevator but received no appropriate response. Only after reaching the bus did they discover accessible elevators at nearby gates.

"Greater assistance was expected"

El Al argued that a service for families with strollers exists and that the plaintiffs chose not to wait for staff. The airline further claimed the family refused to use the stairs despite offers of help and attempted to access restricted elevators.

The Israel Airports Authority maintained that the responsibility for assistance lies with the airline, and that it was not informed of the incident in real time.

Judge Nurit Taviv-Mizrachi accepted the family's version of events, noting they had clearly communicated the child's disability. She stated that "greater assistance was expected, whether by directing them to an elevator or providing other aid." She rejected El Al's claim that help was offered and ignored, finding the plaintiffs' account reliable. The judge also criticized El Al for failing to bring any staff members to testify.

However, the court did not grant the full lawsuit, as regulations require passengers to notify the airline of needed escort services at least 48 hours in advance, which the plaintiffs failed to do. The judge also rejected the demand for additional emotional distress compensation, stating that while "there was room for greater sensitivity from the airline," no damage justifying further compensation was proven.