This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
On July 3, 2018, Daniel Ochieng Orwenjo, a passenger with a disability, boarded a Lufthansa flight from Halle airport in Germany to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. Orwenjo relied on his walking stick for movement, which he had used on numerous flights without incident.
However, Lufthansa staff took Orwenjo's walking stick, citing that it was 'too big' and resembled a weapon. Despite Orwenjo's protests, the staff insisted on checking the stick as baggage, leaving him without a means of mobility for over 10 hours during the flight.
Orwenjo claimed that he was unable to attend to his personal needs, including using the washroom, due to the airline's failure to accommodate his disability. He was eventually given a metallic rod as a substitute, which he described as 'slippery' and caused him to fall multiple times.
Orwenjo alleged that Lufthansa's actions were a breach of their duty to provide reasonable care for passengers with disabilities. He further claimed that the airline's actions caused him physical and psychological harm.
Lufthansa, however, denied Orwenjo's allegations, stating that the walking stick was too large and contravened commission regulations. The airline admitted that the walking stick was not in the cargo hold upon arrival in Nairobi but claimed that they had arranged for a metal pole to be fabricated as a substitute.
Orwenjo's lawsuit against Lufthansa is ongoing, with the airline arguing that they are not liable under the Warsaw Convention and the Carriage by Air Act.
