“AUSTRALIAN AIRLINES BECOMING INCREASINGLY UNFRIENDLY”

"We are people – we travel for work, love, family, and fun – airlines need to start recognising this." -Catarina Demony

If you're a wheelchair user or have a disability, there's a good chance that you're already aware of the increasing disability unfriendliness of some Australian airlines.

While Qantas' reputation has improved over the years, its fully owned low-cost carrier Jetstar constantly makes headlines as disability unfriendly airline.

Qantas and Jetstar are currently facing a disability crisis that is taking a serious toll on many individuals and families in Australia.?Indeed, one of the main concerns of those with disabilities travelling via Qantas or Jetstar is that the airlines are not always well-equipped to deal with those with specific needs, such as those who require assistance using a wheelchair

Many disabled passengers are left stranded and without any relief in sight, as the airlines continually refuse to provide accessible air travel. Wheelchair passengers are especially at risk, as these airlines do not provide assistance when boarding or disembarking aircraft.

Brad Wszola, 50, suffered a spinal cord injury in 2016 that resulted in him having to use a wheelchair. He was not able to navigate the gap between the air bridge and the plane when boarding a Jetstar flight from Darwin to Cairns on 12 August.

When his wife asked airline agents for a ramp to bridge the gap, she was told that Darwin airport did not have it. Brad had to be manually lifted over the gap to transfer to the aisle wheelchair provided inside the plane. This was a very difficult and humiliating experience for him and his wife. He said he was made to feel like a “second-class citizen”.

In a shocking statement, Jetstar said that their "operational requirements as a low fares airline, together with safety and other obligations, mean that Jetstar is only able to provide limited specific assistance to passengers, including to passengers requiring wheelchair assistance."

Jetstar has been widely criticised for its discriminatory business practices. Despite this awareness, Australian authorities have been reluctant to take a stand and force the company to become more inclusive. This hesitance is concerning, as it suggests that Jetstar is able to continue operating in a way that discriminates against disabled people.

Australians living with disability are sick of facing "humiliating" treatment at airports, with reports of people forced to use garbage lifts, being carried onto flights by loved ones or suffering injuries from falls. Airlines, airports and airport services are very poor.

"In fact, we would say one of the poorest areas of disability inclusion that we deal with across all areas of life."

Airports can be triggering places for many people with different types of disabilities given the challenges some face checking in, going through security and getting on or off a plane. Wheelchairs Users have a particularly tough time.

Chairs are damaged by airlines, some are forced to use ones that aren't appropriate for their needs and others have been rejected from flights last minute due to "overcrowding". In one case, a person competing in an international sporting event was turned away on the day as they were told the flight had too many power wheelchairs on board, even though the airline was told what to expect in advance.

"We've had people who needed to go to the bathroom and they can't get the assistance of airline stewards, so they're told to wait.

"It's dehumanising and deeply humiliating for them to deal with that."

There needs to be much stricter and much more clear regulation around what Australian airlines need to do for people with disability. Public transport regulations should include airlines, however, they seem to be absolved from any of this.

There are basic regulations, and there's the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that they should be abiding by.