JetStar denies boarding to blind passengers

Australian no-frills airline, JetStar, has recently been involved in an incident over rights of disabled after one of their employees denied a blind couple boarding on one of their flights.


Glen Bracegirdle and Kathryn Beaton, the blind couple, were denied boarding at Melbourne airport because they were accompanied by their seeing-eye dog, according to Airline Reporter. Despite the fact JetStar’s policy allows dogs on-board, the clerk behind the check-in counter repeatedly shouted “no dogs”.jetstar-airbus-a320

Shocked by the clerk’s behavior, the couple rapidly booked tickets on a flight from a different airline; later they received a formal apology from JetStar and free tickets on their flights. Despite this, the couple still intends to report incident to the Human Rights Commission.

”People with disability have the same right to travel by air as the rest of the population,” said Bill Shorten, the Australian government’s parliamentary secretary for disabilities. “They should not be treated like children or as an inconvenience.”

This is not the only time JetStar shamelessly treats passengers with disabilities. Last month, champion disabled athlete Kurt Fearnley had his wheelchair seized by the company and crawled through Brisbane Airport protesting to the airline’s decision.

2 thoughts on “JetStar denies boarding to blind passengers

  1. My goodness! In this day and age I can’t believe the disgusting behaviour of the clerk and the attitude this airline has taken. Cheap or not….they should be boycotted. Sure enough some lower level heads will roll but not the top brass.

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