Disabled teenager is unable to board a Jetstar flight because a ‘lift was broken’ causing him to miss an urgent medical appointment
- Teenager devastated after being denied access to Jetstar flight due to broken lift
- Rosie Ryan booked to fly to Brisbane from Sydney with 13-year-old son Cormac
- Said she told Jetstar beforehand he would be needing assistance for wheelchair
- But told they could not board flight even though Ms Ryan offered to carry him
- Cormac even told ground staff he would crawl onto Jetstar flight if necessary
A wheelchair-bound teenager has been left devastated after he was refused access to a Jetstar flight because the lift allowing disabled access to the tarmac was broken.
Rosie Ryan was due to fly to Brisbane from Sydney with her 13-year-old son Cormac for a medical appointment.
She said she told the airline beforehand that he would be travelling in a manual wheelchair and needed assistance getting onto the plane.
But upon arrival at the boarding gate the mother and son were told by staff they couldn’t board the flight because the lift was out of order.
Rosie Ryan was told she and her 13-year-old son Cormac could not board a flight from Sydney to Brisbane because the lift allowing him access to the tarmac was broken
Ms Ryan said she pleaded with the airline’s ground staff to let them on the plane as they had an appointment to make – and even offered to carry her 30kg son up the stairs.
‘I said I would sign a waiver, anything! I know for a fact that if there is a fire, Cormac is crawling down those stairs so why can’t he do that now?’ she wrote in a Facebook post criticising the airline.
‘We woke up probably two hours before everyone else to get on the same 8.30am flight.’
Ms Ryan said she also offered to sign a waiver form which would remove liability for Jetstar, but was told she and her son would have to wait for another flight.
‘I know my capabilities and I know that I’m able to crawl down stairs without getting hurt,’ Cormac told 7News.
Ms Ryan and Cormac eventually made their way to Brisbane on a Qantas flight, but the youngster said he was already feeling anxious about returning to Sydney on Thursday.
Ms Ryan said she pleaded with the airline’s ground staff to let them on the plane with no success – even offering to carry him onto the plane or that he crawls down the stairs
‘At this time there’s so few flights and there’s not a lot of options,’ his mother said.
Jetstar said the lift was out of their control and operated by the airport.
Sydney Airport said in a statement though they have since informed Jetstar there are other ways to move people with mobility issues onto the tarmac if the lift is broken.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jetstar for further comment.