The number of passengers with disabilities who experience discrimination when flying is at record-high rates.
For whatever reason, airline employees seem untrained on how to handle those with physical or intellectual disabilities.
So, once again, another passenger in a wheelchair was forced to drag herself off the plane – and just wait until you hear the horrifying details.
Natalie was born with spina bifida and has to use a wheelchair to get around.
When she flies, she’s accustomed to using the complementary wheelchair that’s specially designed to fit through the narrow aisles on an aircraft.
So on a recent journey, the first few legs of her trip went like always and she was provided the special wheelchair to get on and off the plane.
But things did not go well for Natalie when she landed.
When the plane landed in Bangkok, airline staff told Natalie she could only use the aisle wheelchair if she paid for it.
That’s right.
Instead of just wheeling her off the plane – they tried to force her to pay extra money!
And while this is always a free and complementary service – the airline was making her fork over cash to use it.
On principle alone, Natalie refused – so she scooted herself down the aisle on her bottom while everyone gawked on.
When the story went viral, the airline apologized – but refused to admit they actually asked her to pay for the wheelchair.
Paddle Your Own Kanoo reported:
“Rather than pay the fee to use the aisle chair, Natalie decided to drag herself around four metres to the front of the aircraft where her own wheelchair was waiting. Natalie described the experience as “humiliating”.
Jetstar has apologized “unreservedly” to Natalie and has offered her a refund and additional compensation, but the airline denies that staff asked her to pay to use the aisle chair.”
While this story is absolutely crazy – it’s not the first time a passenger with a disability has been humiliated.
When another passenger in a wheelchair needed help to get to the bathroom – airline staff refused to help her and remarked that next time she should “wear a nappy” instead.
In a shocking video, the passenger is seen scooting down the aisle on her bottom just to use the airplane bathroom!
And who could forget the deaf passenger who was kicked off the plane and mocked for “only being able to read lips”?
There’s no excuse for people with physical and intellectual disabilities to be discriminated against.
Airlines need to train their employees better – and promptly terminate anyone who treats passengers with such disrespect.
Do you think the airline should have charged the passenger a fee to use the aisle wheelchair?
How do you think the airline should respond?
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