Virgin Blue: blind woman with guide dog not allowed to board
Nov 12, 2004, 7:23 am
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Virgin Blue: blind woman with guide dog not allowed to board
(From Courier Mail 13 Nov)
VISUALLY impaired woman was turned away from a Brisbane flight yesterday because her guide dog did not have an absorbency mat.
Virgin Blue has pledged to review its staff training procedures but its "insensitivity" has sparked anger from Katrina Stewart's family and has concerned Guide Dogs Queensland.
Mrs Stewart, who lost her eyesight to cancer when she was a child, tried to board a Virgin Blue flight to Melbourne early yesterday morning with her two children, but was told to take a bus because Nari did not have a special absorbency mat.
"They didn't tell me I needed one (when I booked) and (at the airport) wouldn't tell me where I could buy one," Mrs Stewart said. "I started to cry, which is really embarrassing for me because I wanted to stay calm and resolve the situation."
She was also refused a refund so she could pay for a flight on another airline.
Fed up, Mrs Stewart turned to Qantas for help and was in the air within 40 minutes.
She has vowed never to travel with Virgin Blue again.
Virgin Blue spokesman David Huttner told.....
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.a...5E3102,00.html
VISUALLY impaired woman was turned away from a Brisbane flight yesterday because her guide dog did not have an absorbency mat.
Virgin Blue has pledged to review its staff training procedures but its "insensitivity" has sparked anger from Katrina Stewart's family and has concerned Guide Dogs Queensland.
Mrs Stewart, who lost her eyesight to cancer when she was a child, tried to board a Virgin Blue flight to Melbourne early yesterday morning with her two children, but was told to take a bus because Nari did not have a special absorbency mat.
"They didn't tell me I needed one (when I booked) and (at the airport) wouldn't tell me where I could buy one," Mrs Stewart said. "I started to cry, which is really embarrassing for me because I wanted to stay calm and resolve the situation."
She was also refused a refund so she could pay for a flight on another airline.
Fed up, Mrs Stewart turned to Qantas for help and was in the air within 40 minutes.
She has vowed never to travel with Virgin Blue again.
Virgin Blue spokesman David Huttner told.....
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.a...5E3102,00.html
Nov 12, 2004, 2:44 pm
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Originally Posted by hwk1948
Wow! What a black eye for that Airline! 
Nov 12, 2004, 3:39 pm
#4
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,625
It must be slow news day in Queensland
One member of staff possibly screwed up in not telling her that she would need a mat
The staff at the airport correctly refused to let her board since company policy stated that a mat was needed
The airline subsequently apologised, refunded the ticket plus gave compensation.
I take it that this is the 1st time ever that anyone has ever had a problem with Virmin and so is newsworthy. I can see how it would be distressing/upsetting for the passenger involved but I don't see it as newsworthy ( unless it is beat up virmin day )
Dave
One member of staff possibly screwed up in not telling her that she would need a mat
The staff at the airport correctly refused to let her board since company policy stated that a mat was needed
The airline subsequently apologised, refunded the ticket plus gave compensation.
I take it that this is the 1st time ever that anyone has ever had a problem with Virmin and so is newsworthy. I can see how it would be distressing/upsetting for the passenger involved but I don't see it as newsworthy ( unless it is beat up virmin day )
Dave