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."