Jetstar forced Kurt Fearnley off wheelchair, says Paralympian

[Slats7]

Jetstar forced Kurt Fearnley off wheelchair, says Paralympian¿ | Travel News | News.com.au

PARALYMPIAN Kurt Fearnley crawled the Kokoda Track and he ended up doing the same through an airport terminal - and to a bathroom - after Jetstar staff refused to allow him to use his own wheelchair.
Fearnley, 28, was told the airline's policy was to take some wheelchairs from disabled people to check in as baggage and offered him a less-mobile wheelchair. He did not want to be pushed around the airport.
"I said there is not a chance that I am going to sit there and be pushed through an airport," he said.

"An able-bodied equivalent, a normal person's equivalent would be having your legs tied together, your pants pulled down and be carried or pushed through an airport."

"I made a choice and that was to make my own way to the gate," Fearnley said. "I jumped on to my brother's shoulder then I crawled."

 

[Cyclogenesis]

First let me say what this guy did in PNG was AMAZING! However listening to his interview and Jetstar's response on ABC radio this morning it sounds like an unfortunate issue that has turned into a huge beatup..

It does sound like that there was no special note in his booking... I'm positive if jetstar was notified in advance of his needs (and his profile) they would have not only arranged a more appropriate wheelchair but would have probably bent over backwards to make sure he was looked after (and then taken a few shots and put a media release out)

This is a terribly politically incorrect thing to say, but this has a whif of the situation being used to further his (albeit worthy) cause... It does sound like he went straight to the media without seeking to resolve the issue with Jetstar... my 2c

 

[moa999]

Cyclo, I must say reading the article I had a similar thought to you, and I did see the amazing scenes on the Ch.7 program.


It also fits with JQ policy - 7kg carry-on only - everything else must be checked in at the gate, as we don't have sufficient staff to deal with prams, strollers, wheelchairs, surfboards, crocodiles etc at the gate.

The problem seems to be he was offered a 'less mobile' wheelchair to use in the airport, that he didn't want to use.

IMHO he was given a reasonable option.

--

When my grandmother who is partially blind and has pretty restricted mobility travels she flys Qantas. Dropped off at the airport, escorted in a Qantas wheelchair, pushed by a Qantas staffer to the gate, boarded first, deboarded last, and wheelchair out to luggage collection.

Would not think of putting her on a Virgin or Jetstar flight.

 

[sampson]

He's done the image of para sport great harm by pushing a barrow imo, ....unless his wheelchair folds up to the same size as a Jetstar one. A plane just can't store wheelchairs, prams etc anywhere.

 

[drron]

Count me as another cynic.Did he read the T&Cs before booking?I am no JQ defender but I have seen at both MCY and MKY staff of both DJ and JQ go that extra mile looking after disabled pax-no airbridges at either.Come to think of it what would have been his attitude if flying to any airport with out air bridges?
We cynics may be wrong but this does smack of a deliberate act to push a particular issue.

 

[crazydave98]

When my grandmother who is partially blind and has pretty restricted mobility travels she flys Qantas. Dropped off at the airport, escorted in a Qantas wheelchair, pushed by a Qantas staffer to the gate, boarded first, deboarded last, and wheelchair out to luggage collection.

Would not think of putting her on a Virgin or Jetstar flight.

Why not? We (Virgin Blue) offer the same mobility assistance as Qantas (I can't speak for JQ or TT)
Virgin Blue > Mobility Assistance

Chief Executive Officer of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Ms Robin Banks, said: “We commend Virgin Blue for demonstrating that they are willing to take a positive and inclusive approach to changing the way they operate to improve the travel experience for people with disability. The changes to Virgin Blue’s Independent Travel Criteria policy - and more importantly their application in practice - certainly promote equitable travel and are a positive example to all airlines,” she said.

quote from Virgin Blue > News and Press Releases

 

[NYCguy]

"Our question to Jetstar is how can you guarantee this won't happen again?"

If I were head of media relations at Jetstar, my response would be along the lines of "Next time Kurt Fearnley chooses to fly with Jetstar, we suggest that he leave his narcissistic sense of entitlement at the curb outside the terminal, and that Mr Fearnley complies with our conditions carriage in the same manner that every other Jetstar passenger is required to."

The only problem I can see here is a few bruises to a titanic ego.

 

[Flying Fox]

My thoughts on this are similiar to Cyclogenesis. I'm hugely impressed by his achievements esp. doing something that I haven't done as an able bodied person.

I read this article - Fearnley slams Jetstar for taking wheelchair

'He said he was unfamiliar with how the supplied wheelchair operated.'

Can some explain how this can be the case? I thought that all wheelchair operation was fairly similar and simple (the times that I have used them when pushing my pregnant wife).

 

[gilby08]

This compliant just seems to be weird, Kurt has travelled on JQ many times before at the same ports (according to Simon Westaway/PR guy) and never had a complaint about it, so i think there is something underlying in this issue.

 

[Slats7]

It does sound a bit strange.

 

[ejb]

Hi all,

IMHO J* have done a service to all disabled pax by following their rules without favour for high profile pax, consistency is what we all want in travel rules.

If everyone else can follow the rules why not Kurt, should he be subject to special rules because of his profile, NO!

Now with Kevin07 and his band of merry idiots on this case it will surely be blown out of all proportion. On the news this morning it was reported that Bill Shorten will be approaching J* over this issue.

J* has rules, like the rest of us he should have followed them or made alternative transport arrangements.

ejb

 

[777]

I heard the quote from his speech this morning on TV. I thought his complaint was that:

* He had to give up his own chair (fair enough)
* He had to use a J* chair until boarding (again, fair enough)
* He had to be wheeled by a Jetstar person, wasn't allowed/able to operate it himself and had to wait the remaining 1.5 hours til the flight left at the gate -- which is ridiculous if true.

That's based on a clip from his speech. Surely you should be allowed to have free roam of the terminal in the supplied chair and be able to operate it yourself?

That strikes me as a fair complaint.

 

[Justinf]

Regulations are there for a reason whether you are able bodied or not. Most of the comments on the Herald Sun feedback are the same as what are on here.

 

[samh004]

I would take the same view as everyone else here, he expected special treatment because of who he is and he didn’t get it, because he shouldn’t have. Perhaps the wheelchair available at the airport is just a chair with handles to be pushed by someone else, and save for his pride at being able to wheel himself, I can’t say it would have been too hard to let his brother push him along.

 

[Danger]

I fully agree about having to check the chair as per regulations about weight and size etcetera. However, just to throw a spanner into the debate, wasn't there some controversy over an Australian sporting team (perhaps rugby) who carried on board Qantas their mammoth cup trophy? (Now as I said, I agree with what has happened; I'm just adding to the debate.)

 

[AndyMac]

My Motherinlaw requires a wheelchair when flying and we have found the service offered by Virgin to be superior to Qantas. We ALWAYS use Virgin for her flights now, nothing but praise for ther efforts in looking after her.

 

[docjames]

My Gandmother has used both virgin and qantas without troubles, using wheel chair assistance from checkin to boarding.

 

[Danger]

Fairfax News network is reporting Fearnley "was forced to crawl aboard his flight".

 

[medhead]

Now with Kevin07 and his band of merry idiots on this case it will surely be blown out of all proportion. On the news this morning it was reported that Bill Shorten will be approaching J* over this issue.

ejb

Meh! So what? Bill Shorten is approaching Jetstar? That is his job as disabled person minister or whatever. He'll approach them. They'll tell him that thems the rules. He accept that, go away and hope like hell no one follows up on what happened when he approached jetstar.

That's the way politics works.

Edit: I'll leave my comments on Kurt's other achievements out of this. But I note that he freely admitted to being carried for a significant distance at one point on his trek over kokoda.

I'll also not mention that I'd have to be carried for most of the way

 

[Alanslegal]

Such a sensationalised story ..... before we know it, we'll be reading someone was denied boarding because they wanted to drive/ride-on board their 4 wheeler 'mobility scooter'.