Virgin Australian says it is investigating after former Queensland Australian of the Year, Dr Dinesh Palipana, was tipped from his wheelchair by a member of ground crew staff at Brisbane Airport, who allegedly “didn’t listen” to his carers.
Key points:
- Dr Palipana was boarding a flight when a ground crew member ignored directions and manoeuvred his wheelchair sharply, tipping him out
- He was flying from Brisbane to Melbourne to give a talk on disability and inclusion when the incident occurred
- Virgin Australia has apologised to Dr Palipana and an investigation has been launched
Dr Palipana, who is a quadriplegic and is paralysed from the chest down, said he was travelling with two carers when a ground crew member ignored directions and manoeuvred his wheelchair sharply, tipping him out and causing him to fall to the ground.
Dr Palipana was flying from Brisbane to Melbourne to give a talk on disability and inclusion when the incident occurred on Wednesday.
“[The carers] were trying to give a little bit of input because … they manoeuvre the wheelchair all the time, but the ground crew staff member was sort of telling them to move on and to go ahead without me,” he told ABC Radio Brisbane.
Dr Palipana said the ground crew staff member “took matters into their own hands” instead of taking direction from his carers.
“The staff member I was dealing with, the conversation was a little bit patronising. I felt talked down to and not listened to,” he said.
“It’s about these kinds of attitudes broadly that we really need to change.”
Virgin Australia ‘deeply regrets the incident’
Dr Palipana said he planned to go for scans to ensure he hadn’t sustained any injuries, adding that he wasn’t sure “if everything’s 100 per cent yet”.
A Virgin Australia spokesperson said the airline “sincerely apologises for and deeply regrets the incident”:
“We immediately initiated an investigation into the incident and will continue to work to ensure this does not happen again,” the spokesperson said.
“Virgin Australia takes its responsibilities to support guests travelling with specific needs, including mobility assistance, extremely seriously.”
Dr Palipana said the airline had reached out to him since the fall.
“Over the last couple of years I’ve had a number of conversations with them about disability and inclusion,” he said.
“I know they’re passionate and they’re keen, they’re working on it. I just hope that this makes the experience better for others in the future with all airlines.”
(ABC)
