Jerusalem Court Orders Superland to Stop Charging Companions of Disabled Visitors

Following an investigation by the Shavim website, the Jerusalem Administrative Court has instructed Superland and Luna Park to immediately cease charging companions of people with disabilities who are entitled to a payment exemption. This directive will remain in effect at least until the court rules on a petition filed by the amusement park operator against the Equal Rights Commission for People with Disabilities. The court rejected the company's request to delay enforcement of an accessibility order issued by the commission under the Ministry of Justice, which requires the parks to honor the exemption for companions holding a disability card marked "exempt from payment for companion."

The issue arose after Shavim revealed that Superland and Luna Park had stopped recognizing the exemption card and began charging companions of disabled visitors. The Equal Rights Commission investigated and determined that this practice violated the law, issuing a compliance order to the parks. Instead of complying, the company filed a petition against the commission and sought to suspend the order pending the court's decision. The court dismissed this request, noting that the company had previously respected the exemption for years and that the legal merits of the petition were unclear. The court also ordered the company to pay 3,000 shekels in legal fees to the commission.

The petition will continue to be examined in court, but meanwhile, Superland and Luna Park must comply with the accessibility order and stop charging companions of disabled individuals who hold the exemption card. The commission was represented by the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office, with attorney Amir Shakar handling the case.