Man who had to rent wheelchair wins suit

LONDON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- A disabled British man forced to pay to use a wheelchair at Stansted airport has won a landmark London court case against Ryanair airlines.

Bob Ross, 54, from Islington, north London, had to pay $32.70 for a wheelchair to get from the check-in desk to the plane when he traveled to France in February 2002, and the same amount when he returned a month later.

The community worker, who has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and later developed arthritis, claimed the fee was unfair and discriminatory.

The court agreed and awarded Ross $2,247 Thursday, the Guardian reported Friday.

The legal setback capped a dismal week for Ryanair. The Dublin budget airline company warned profits would fall by 10 percent this year, sending its stock down.