Paralympic Athlete Left Humiliated After KLM Denies Her Access to Onboard Wheelchair

Dutch airline KLM has issued a formal apology to a Paralympic track athlete after crew refused to provide an onboard wheelchair during an 11-hour flight, leaving her unable to use the restroom. Hannah Babalola, 37, who is paraplegic and competes for Nigeria, was flying home to Chicago from a wheelchair-racing event in South Africa on May 26.

Babalola, who lives in Chicago, had booked her ticket as a wheelchair user and had no issues on the outbound leg. But when she boarded the return flight from Cape Town to Amsterdam, crew members asked if she would need an aisle chair—a narrow wheelchair designed for use inside planes. When she said yes, the trouble began.

According to a recording shared with The Guardian, a crew member told Babalola that using the aisle chair during the flight was too dangerous due to potential turbulence. She was given two options: use the restroom without the wheelchair, or leave the plane. Babalola refused to deplane, saying she needed to get home to her family and work. Cabin crew then handed her a written warning titled “Unacceptable conduct and final warning on behalf of the captain.”

Security was called but took no action. When the plane landed in Amsterdam, police were asked to stand by but also declined to intervene. Babalola transferred to a connecting flight to complete her journey.

“I felt forced to avoid eating or drinking for the whole flight because I was scared I’d need the bathroom and couldn’t get there,” she said. “I spent much of the time crying. It was humiliating and degrading.”

After Babalola filed a formal complaint, a KLM customer service representative apologized, saying the airline would review what happened. But Paralympian Anne Wafula Strike, who made headlines in 2017 for being forced to wet herself on a train, said the incident shows how little has changed. “Disabled people are still fighting the same battles for basic dignity,” she said.

KLM declined to discuss specific details, citing passenger and crew privacy.