Dominique Bussereau, the French transport secretary, has called for an inquiry into allegations that budget carrier Easyjet has refused boarding to disabled passengers.
Easyjet's regulations state that the airline "is unable to accept those passengers with a level of disability which requires the presence of a care assistant unless a care assistant is travelling with the passenger".
Bussereau said: "Easyjet can't hide behind safety regulations for refusing boarding to passengers that have difficulty in moving themselves.
"It must find solutions adapted to each case, like most companies will do. Otherwise, it must be sanctioned with the utmost severity."
An Easyjet spokeswoman told ABTN the airline is in discussion with the French Government, she said, to find "a workable solution for our passengers without compromising safety".
"The airline will never compromise the safety of passengers," she said.
"European safety regulations require that all passengers are able to evacuate an aircraft within 90 seconds and therefore we require that some passengers with reduced mobility have a travel companion."
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