A DUNFERMLINE mum has spoken out against the special assistance services at Edinburgh Airport as she claims she was given no help upon arrival. 

Yvonne Greig and her family were travelling back to Scotland following a holiday in Palma. 

Her and her husband, Kenny, were travelling with their two sons, their daughter, Kaitlyn - who has a rare genetic chromosome disorder - and Yvonne's dad, Edward - who has mobility issues. 

In preparation for their trip, the family booked in for special assistance as both Kaitlyn and Edward needed wheelchairs in the airport. 

She told the Press that the trip out to Palma was fine, but that they ran into issues in Edinburgh when they returned on Sunday, June 16. 

"It’s been quite a few times actually but this time was the final straw," she said. 

"We’d gone from Edinburgh to Palma and back again, it was when we came back. I was travelling with my husband, my three kids and my dad.

"My dad and my daughter have both got disabilities. We had special assistance and it was fine on the way out but on the way back, we basically got off the plane ourselves and then when we got to the airport there were no trolleys or anything for the luggage.  

"Me and my son were pushing my daughter and my dad and my husband, and my younger son was trying to push six cases. We asked for a trolley but they said there was none, and when we asked, 'Could someone go and get us a trolley?' - because how are we supposed to push six cases with the wheelchairs - but they said they couldn’t get the trolleys because they were on the other side of the door and they would have to go through security."

The family said they were told to disembark the plane and that they would be helped inside the airport. However, by the time the Special Assistance Team reached them, they had already been helped by two other passengers who had gotten off of a Ryanair flight. 

Yvonne said they were given no help or explanations from the airport staff on the day. 

She continued: "It was just utter chaos at the end of our holiday. It was a nightmare. Assistance was booked before we even went.  

"This is about the third or fourth time that this has happened now. They’ve lost my daughter's wheelchair at one point and it’s just always been a bit chaotic."

Looking for answers, Yvonne reached out to the company she flew with and was told that staff were unable to help her due to insurance purposes. 

And while she understood this, she was left frustrated by the difficult end to the trip.

"I do understand that they’ve said that they can’t," she said.

"For insurance purposes, they can’t take someone’s luggage but if someone had explained that in the first place... it's hard enough as it is. That’s the last thing we needed at the airport."

Edinburgh Airport confirmed that the OCS Special Assistance Team attended the flight to provide assistance and that any onboard announcements would have come from the airline and it's crew. 

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Airport said: "Our partners OCS, who provide special assistance at the airport, attended this flight and did offer support to passengers who had booked the service.

"If there are any concerns about the service provided in this instance we would encourage the passenger to contact us directly so we can better understand this."

A new fleet of trolleys and a dedicated team to manage the fleet, deliver an improved service for passengers and ensure trolleys are available where needed, was also introduced on July 1.

Adam Wilson, Chief Operating Officer at Edinburgh Airport added: “Bringing in this fleet of newer, better trolleys – and creating a team to manage their availability – will provide a far better experience for those passengers who need to use them."

A £1 charge to use the trolleys has also been introduced and will be payable by contactless at kiosks located at trolley bays across the campus.

Bays will be positioned in prominent areas including car parks, pick-up and drop-off areas, near tram and bus stops, and in the arrivals halls.

It is hoped that the charge will ensure the airport is able to provide the best service to those who use them, while also investing in future improvements across the terminal.

Trolleys will remain free to passengers with reduced mobility who have booked special assistance.

Mr Wilson continued: “To deliver the new fleet, and ensure the trolleys are available to those who really need them, we have introduced a small charge similar to those you see at many other UK airports.

"This will help us deliver the best service to passengers who use them and invest in future improvements across the airport.”