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Cardiff cancer survivor 'screamed at' by airport staff over stoma supplies
Overview
A cancer survivor from Cardiff with a stoma has described feeling 'made to feel like a criminal' after being shouted at by security staff at Cardiff Airport over his medical supplies. Paul Scanlon, who has lived with a stoma for nearly four years, recounted being aggressively handled and escorted to an interview room. Charities and advocacy groups, including the Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association, highlight that such negative, distressing incidents at UK airports are not isolated and are prompting calls for better disability awareness training and more compassionate treatment for passengers with stomas.
Key points
- Paul Scanlon, a 57-year-old bowel cancer survivor from Cardiff, was shouted at by airport security staff at Cardiff Airport for touching a bag of stoma supplies.
- Scanlon stated he was escorted by staff to an interview room and searched, leaving him feeling humiliated and reluctant to use airports in the future.
- The Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association reported that survey responses have identified negative stoma-related incidents across 16 different UK airports.
- Charities are calling for improved staff training to ensure passengers with stomas are treated with dignity, respect, and empathy during security screenings.
- The UK Civil Aviation Authority states that airports must ensure staff receive disability awareness training and handle passengers sensitively.