Post by corsair67 on Jun 1, 2006 10:08:46 GMT 12
From yesterday's The Australian.
As you can imagine, this story has got quite a reaction over here.
Personally I can't see what the problem is: if someone is so badly disabled as to not be able to assist themselves in an emergency, then they should already have a carer with them while they're travelling anyway.
Push to sue Virgin Blue
Tracy Ong and Steve Creedy
May 31, 2006.
DISABILITY advocates will discuss suing Virgin Blue, despite assurances from the airline that it has no plans to stop helping passengers with wheelchairs to board flights.
The talks were planned following reports the airline had told wheelchair users, including Paralympics medallist Paul Nunnari, they would have to pay for carers to accompany them.
Wendy Potter, chairwoman of Paraquad, the paraplegic and quadriplegic association of NSW, said the issue would be discussed today with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Disability Discrimination Legal Centre.
She said she hoped the result would be a decision to proceed with a class action.
But Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey said airline staff would still be responsible for getting disabled people on and off aircraft.
He said only those people who were not able to operate a wheelchair, put on an oxygen mask or help themselves in an emergency would be expected to be escorted by a carer.
As you can imagine, this story has got quite a reaction over here.
Personally I can't see what the problem is: if someone is so badly disabled as to not be able to assist themselves in an emergency, then they should already have a carer with them while they're travelling anyway.
Push to sue Virgin Blue
Tracy Ong and Steve Creedy
May 31, 2006.
DISABILITY advocates will discuss suing Virgin Blue, despite assurances from the airline that it has no plans to stop helping passengers with wheelchairs to board flights.
The talks were planned following reports the airline had told wheelchair users, including Paralympics medallist Paul Nunnari, they would have to pay for carers to accompany them.
Wendy Potter, chairwoman of Paraquad, the paraplegic and quadriplegic association of NSW, said the issue would be discussed today with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Disability Discrimination Legal Centre.
She said she hoped the result would be a decision to proceed with a class action.
But Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey said airline staff would still be responsible for getting disabled people on and off aircraft.
He said only those people who were not able to operate a wheelchair, put on an oxygen mask or help themselves in an emergency would be expected to be escorted by a carer.
