Paralympian Drags Himself to Plane After Airline Makes Him Check Wheelchair

Paralympian Drags Himself to Plane

Sorry - double post!!!!! Ooops!

Paralympian Drags Himself to Plane After Airline Makes Him Check Wheelchair

Paralympian Kurt Fearnley dragged himself through an airport and onto the plane after the airline made him check his wheelchair.

Jetstar, a budget offshoot of Qantas airline, has offered an apology for any "embarrassment and hurt" that was caused by the incident, a story by FOXNews.com said. Jetstar told FOX that it followed its policy for passengers in wheelchairs, and offered to push Fearnley in an airline wheelchair that is easier to steer on the plane. But Fearnley, who has won gold medals in two paraolympics, refused, saying for the able-bodied it "would be having your legs tied together, your pants pulled down and be carried or pushed through an airport," the story said.

Jetstar told Fearnley they are working on an alternative boarding procedure for disabled passengers, the story said.
 
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:nono: Shame on them. That had to have been degrading and an embarrassment to Mr. Fearnley, not for the airline.

Taking one's wheelchair away is like taking away someone's glasses or hearing aid and 'replacing' it with an 'airline approved' pair of glasses/HA that may not be suitable. Wheelchairs are not generally a one-size-fits-all. Many are custom made to fit the person using it like a glove, just the same way that a pair of glasses have a specific prescription to meet the needs of the wearer's eyes, and the molding's and adjustments of HAs are custom made to fit the wearer properly and to meet their acoustic needs.

The airline employees should have their legs tied and have to drag themselves through the airport for a while.
 
This is typical procedure in every airline. The person's own wheelchair is unlikely to fit through the isles, may be impossible to store in the plane cabin, and is generally a bad idea all around.

The use of isle chairs, or wheelchairs designed for planes, for those not mobile enough to walk in the plane, is always the norm.

Honestly, this guy just seems to be overdramatic. The isle chair is only used in the actual plane: he could have taken his chair up to the plane's entry, transferred into an isle chair, and then his chair would either be stored if it was a collapsable and there was room, inside the plane, or checked in, and he would use the isle chair until the flight was over. Dragging himself around the airport was for nothing but show.
 
dude wtf? that's just wrong on many levels...
 
Aleser, you are just wrong. Wrong on so many levels that it defies logic. Do you actually know any paras or quads? Do you know any wc athletes? Do you understnd how much training, determination, stamina, and pure guts it takes to do wc sports? SHOW? These world recognized athletes dont need more attention or show. What do we all need? Something you and some airlines might do well to learn...like Aretha says....R E S P E C T.
 
Er, actually, I do. And they might have all the training and determination in the world, but apparently, this guy still isn't bright enough to realize that his chair isn't going to fit in an airplane isle, and that there's nowhere to stow a chair on a plane.
 
I have to agree...overly dramatic. Sometimes in life ya gotta accept things. He just wanted to elevate himself above other paras n quads as special. They did actually make attempt to accomodate him.
I'm able bodied and I'd let em push me....lol
 
I can understand his frustration. I've had flight crew try to take my cane from me. :nono: But the whole dragging himself thing is definitely over the top. Just accept the airline chair and write them a letter. :roll:
 
Cowpuppy said:
I have to agree...overly dramatic. Sometimes in life ya gotta accept things. He just wanted to elevate himself above other paras n quads as special. They did actually make attempt to accomodate him.
I'm able bodied and I'd let em push me....lol
Click to expand...

Lots of times they try to offer me the electric cart. I tell them I'm deafblind, not crippled! :giggle:
 
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