I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the discriminatory treatment my husband and I received from a member of the Mobility Assistance team at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on 17th November 2024.

We arrived at CDG from Nairobi on a business class flight at 6:20 AM, and after disembarking, we were left waiting for over 45 minutes for a wheelchair to assist us. Concerned about the delay and the risk of missing our connecting flight, my husband ultimately decided to walk. Another passenger, an Irish gentleman, had been waiting even longer and was still without a wheelchair.

We eventually made our way to the wheelchair waiting area at Gate L, where we encountered a young woman working at dispatch at the desk. I politely asked her how much longer the wait would be for a wheelchair, as my husband urgently needed to use the restroom. Her response was dismissive and rude: she told me to “sit down in the waiting area and shut up.” When I expressed our intention to walk to the restroom, she replied, “be my guest” in French.

I then requested her name, which she refused to provide. I asked for the name of her supervisor, and again, she declined. As a result of her unprofessional and discriminatory behavior, I took a picture of her, at which point she demanded I delete it. After I complied, she proceeded to grab my phone and deleted all of my vacation photos, including those from our trip to Africa.

This incident was distressing and discriminatory. Not only was my husband, who has mobility issues, treated poorly, but I also felt that the staff member's behavior was influenced by racial bias, as I am of brown skin. As a foreigner I find this kind of behavior unacceptable, especially in a public service environment such as an international airport.

I understand that under French law, airport employees are not required to provide their personal names but must offer the name of their supervisor when asked. The staff member’s refusal to cooperate, coupled with her threatening behavior, is deeply troubling.
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