Updated 11.50am - Added Aviaserve comments

A cancer patient has complained on UK media that she was left stranded in an airport ambu-lift at Malta International Airport while her Ryanair flight took off without her.

Kay Walker, 53, from Derby, is wheelchair bound because of terminal cancer.

She said that on September 23 she and her husband Ian were meant to take a flight back home. She was pushed on a lift to be taken up to the aircraft, and airport staff assured her that the plane was waiting.

But the aircraft left without her, and with her medication on board.

The couple realised something was wrong when they heard the engines revving while they waited on the tarmac and watched in disbelief as the plane took off.
 
The couple had to spend an extra night in Malta before they were able to take a flight home.  

Mrs Walker told the Derby Telegraph that she had written a letter of complaint to Aviaserve Ltd., the company charged with handling Ryanair's ground operations in Malta. 

The company reportedly wrote back apologising for having left her stranded, saying the mistake was down to "a breakdown in communications." 

Aviaserve Chief Operations Officer Joe Bugeja told Times of Malta that the company had started an internal investigation into the matter immediately after Mrs Walker's case came to light. 

"Once the investigation is concluded, we will be taking the appropriate steps," Mr Bugeja said. He could not say how long the investigation would take. 

In their reaction, Ryanair passed the buck to their ground handling agents, telling Times of Malta: "While we apologise for any inconvenience caused, wheelchair services at Malta Airport are operated by Aviaserve on behalf of the airport authority - at great expense to the airlines - and Aviaserve are responsible for this service and any problems with it. Our customer service team wrote to the customer in question on 29th September in an effort to resolve this matter."