Originally Posted by
Katja
You're missing that it's a sophisticated, expensive, customized medical device, not to be equated with ordinary carry on luggage.
In the US per the Air Carrier Access Act, and in EU countries per Regulation No 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons when travelling by air, it would not be counted against the passenger's carry on allowance.
Wouldn't an expensive sophiscated customised sports medical device come with a protective casing of some sort? Or as
CUTiger said couldn't they buy an extra seat for the device.
Originally Posted by EU 1107/2006
‘disabled person’ or ‘person with reduced mobility’ means
any person whose mobility when using transport is reduced
due to any physical disability (sensory or locomotor,
permanent or temporary), intellectual disability or impairment,
or any other cause of disability, or age, and whose
situation needs appropriate attention and the adaptation to
his or her particular needs of the service made available to
all passengers;
The passenger is wearing a prosthetic leg if I am correct so they secondary leg surely should be counted toward their carry on allowance. Per the EU legislation a person is classed as disabled if they have reduced mobility when using transport, if you have a prosthetic on then your not actually disabled for the purpose of the EU legislation. Is it any different to me carrying a prosthetic leg on behalf of a disabled person? I completely understand that these things can get damaged but I don't think Qantas is entirely at fault, and the athlete or at least someone at the AIS should have known the carry on restrictions.
Originally Posted by
CUTiger78
I'm just guessing, but I'll bet that she has a "performance" leg and an "everyday" leg. So, maybe she was wearing one and carrying the other.
Here's what I don't get - a performer can buy a seat in the cabin for a cello. Why can't a performer buy a seat in the cabin for their leg? Cello travels in a case, right? Prosthetic leg would travel in a case when not being worn, right?
Ahh that makes sense.
The issue I have with bulky items being stored in overhead bins is that bins open up and things fall out, I'm not sure I would want to be hit on the head by a prosthetic leg (cased or uncased). How much do they weigh?