Anger as Jetstar bans disabled child’s stroller from cabin

Jetstar

Jetstar refused to allow a disabled two-year-old’s stroller to be taken on a flight, despite finding room for another passenger’s musical instrument.

Trudi Scott, her husband and their children, Isaac, 9, and Theo, 2, were booked on a late-night flight from Wellington to Auckland last Friday for a family trip to see the Walking With Dinosaurs production.

Theo has Down syndrome and suffers from a rare condition, non-neurogenic neurogenic bladder, which can lead to renal failure.

Mrs Scott said they were told at the gate that the new stroller, which weighs eight kilograms and folds down to the size of a large umbrella, would have to go in the hold – despite their explaining it was for their disabled son.

They were told it would be waiting for them at the gate when they got off the flight in Auckland.

But once seated on the plane, the family were appalled when a crew member walked past carrying a large green bag that was placed under one of the back seats.

When the head flight attendant was questioned about the bag, it turned out to be a musical instrument for another passenger.

Things got worse for the Scotts when they arrived in Auckland to discover their stroller had been damaged in transit.

They were again stopped from taking the stroller on board during the return flight, despite the cabin being half-full.

Mrs Scott said staff had treated them terribly and seemed to have no sympathy.

“It’s almost like you’re having to justify your son’s disability to them,” she said.

“Their staff need to go on customer service training, because they’re arrogant and very, very rude.”

A spokeswoman for Jetstar, which has faced criticism of its customer service in the past, said the airline sincerely apologised to the Scott family for the inconvenience and had sent them four $NZ50 vouchers. It would also cover the cost to repair or replace the stroller.

The airline had a blanket policy on its A320 aircraft not to allow strollers in the cabin because of the number of people who arrived with them. Musical instruments could be accommodated in advance and strapped to an extra seat if it was bought by a passenger, but she could not say if this was the case on the Scotts’ flight.

An Air New Zealand spokesman said crew members used their discretion when accommodating strollers on flights, depending on available space.

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