Fury as The AA says it does not prioritise lone women over men stranded at roadside

A statement by the AA has drawn fury from its members after the car breakdown firm confirmed it does not prioritise lone women over men when responding to calls. The admission came after a member who had broken down “at night in the dark” claimed she had been told by an AA call handler that the company treats lone women and men the same because “that’s equality”.
Dr Helen Mott said she would then have to wait “alone in the dark for 90 minutes or more” and added that the firm’s policies “need a revamp”, as reported by the MailOnline.
Dr Mott received a response to her tweet from the breakdown firm, with the AA spokesperson confirming that they do not prioritise based on gender and instead “consider the location”, which means they would rescue someone stranded on the motorway before someone in a supermarket car park.
The response drew angry rebuttals with some members saying they would cancel their memberships and others recounting similar conversations they had with call centre staff refusing to prioritise lone women over men.
AA president Sir Edmund King also intervened, to say the firm gives priority to “anyone at risk”. An AA spokesman told MailOnline today that the ‘wording’ of their response to Dr Mott “wasn’t great” and they had apologised. They added that in breakdowns involving lone women they receive the “highest level of care and priority” if the customer raises concerns.
Dr Mott had said to the AA in her tweet last night: “hi @TheAA_UK I am a lone woman whose car has broken down at night in the dark.
“Your call handler has told me you treat lone women and lone men as exactly the same priority in such circumstances because “that’s equality”.
In another tweet, she added: “I will now wait alone in the dark for 90 minutes or more, something which as a lone woman nowhere near home is far more anxiety-provoking than it would be for a man if you follow the news. I think your policies need a revamp.”
In response, the AA said: “Hi Helen, you’ve been advised correctly. We don’t prioritise based on gender, we do consider the location so as an example we would prioritise someone on a motorway over someone in a supermarket car park.”
Another Twitter user responded to the AA’s online response by demanding: “Why not? Women are more vulnerable than men.”
Other users claimed to have had a similar experience. One said: “I have to say the same thing happened to me with the AA.”
Another added: “AA that’s appalling. If your response to breakdown is based on risk, you’re clearly missing an important factor here. I hope your customers see this; your practice and your response here – and they take their money elsewhere.”
An AA spokeswoman said: “We accept that the wording of our initial response wasn’t great and have apologised.
“In fact, we prioritise anyone at risk but more often than not it will be lone women. In breakdowns involving lone women where there is any concern raised by the customer they receive the highest level of care and priority.”

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