Family suing Virgin for not letting disabled children use forward toilets

[Rich]

This is interesting.

Virgin accused of refusing disabled twins toilet access

The family claims cabin crew denied both children access to the forward aircraft lavatory publicly in the presence of other passengers.

www.nine.com.au

If I was representing myself I would be wary of my case being dismissed with costs.

 

[Dmac59]

Very interesting, though all the facts are unknown from that article.
If the children required, and were provided with, wheelchair assistance by VA, it would be unreasonable imo to expect them to use the rear toilets. Unless the J toilets were not necessarily closer to their seats.

 

[equus]

If the children needed to be close to the toilets, why didn't the parents select seats near the toilets down the back?

 

[trippin_the_rift]

In fairness, not being able to use the lavatories at the front of the plane is highly traumatic

 

[Aussie_flyer]

If the children needed to be close to the toilets, why didn't the parents select seats near the toilets down the back?

Makes too much sense when you could try and sue somebody instead!

 

[Rich]

If the children needed to be close to the toilets, why didn't the parents select seats near the toilets down the back?

They may not know the layout or rules. and may well have paid for seats near the front thinking this would help. However if it was such an issue wouldn't you check? Seems very opportunistic to me, especiaaly with the separate lawsuit against DFAT.

In fairness, not being able to use the lavatories at the front of the plane is highly traumatic

It seems more traumatic to some when the wrong people use them though. (Not that I disagree.)

 

[offshore171]

Very interesting, though all the facts are unknown from that article.

Certainly there may be more to this story, given the AHRC looked at the case and dropped it.

 

[MooTime]

My last flight in J I heard an old bat come from beyond row 2 with the line "I have a sore leg so" and made her way to frontal urinals. It was accepted by CM.
I didn't have an issue with it whatsoever just sayin'.
I'd think a child with at least an obvious disability should be fine for frontal can.

 

[equus]

Checkout the "Onboard Wheelchairs" in Mobility Assistance Seems like a case of not aksing / preparing for what is available - or bringing it on yourself. Staff will be well aware of those who request wheel chair assistance for boarding but are cured mid flight and walk off. Or those that can't walk long distances but are fine for going up and down the aisle, so wheel chair assistance for boarding does not always mean wheel chair is require to access the toilet.

However, there are obviously pax who are reliant on awheel chair for any movement, and need to access the toilet - so provision is made. I suspect this claim will not end well for the parent who probably didn't ask the right questions. If refused access to the front toilets they had then stated that the children would require a wheel chair to make it as far the rear toilets, it would probably have been provided. Without being privy to the details, they probably just became entitled and went down this path.

 

[odysseus]

Certainly there may be more to this story, given the AHRC looked at the case and dropped it.

The article explains AHRC terminated the case because no settlement between the parties could be reached. They're not a court, so can't impose/determine outcomes, or achieve a resolution between two parties beyond conciliation when both parties couldn't reach an agreement. It said they found the claims "reasonably arguable".

 

[offshore171]

No suggestion either way that it applies to this case, but apparently there is a spate of people abusing airport and airline wheelchair services.

Article below mentions that genuinely disabled travellers are very annoyed with the situation. The term "Jetway Jesus" has been coined for the fakers.

‘Flying fakers’: Growing number of travelers accused of abusing airport wheelchair services

Airline and airport workers say they’re seeing a surge in so-called “flying fakers” -- travelers who request wheelchairs not because they need them, but because they want priority boarding, faster ser...

www.yahoo.com

 

[Dmac59]

No suggestion either way that it applies to this case, but apparently there is a spate of people abusing airport and airline wheelchair

Wow - I didn’t know this was ‘a thing’
Disappointing.

 

[Quickstatus]

didn’t know this was ‘a thing’
Disappointing.

wheelchairs to board are a big thing
They get priority boarding but wheelchairs are also the last to disembark so miraculously they are cured as soon as they get on board and They walk off completely unassistance

Wheelchairs are a miracle cure

 

[oz_mark]

wheelchairs to board are a big thing
They get priority boarding but wheelchairs are also the last to disembark so miraculously they are cured as soon as they get on board and They walk off completely unassistance

Wheelchairs are a miracle cure

Apparently, a big thing in the US. Spreading here.,

 

[Rich]

Apparently, a big thing in the US. Spreading here.,

I was more annoyed at Disneyworld when morbidly obese people (and there were a few) and their families would skip the long queues with their mobility scooters.
BUT at the same time we shouldn't cast aspersions. I have a relative using a walking stick who will struggle with long distances at airports and requested a wheelchair recently for the first time. Then "miraculously" walked off the plane, but it doesn't mean there was anything illegitimate about it.

 

[transpactraveller]

No suggestion either way that it applies to this case, but apparently there is a spate of people abusing airport and airline wheelchair services.

I've heard (from my mother) that it's a "travel hack" used by older women travelling solo, if they're unfamiliar with the destination airport, or have safety concerns walking around the airport alone, to request wheelchair assistance to get a free chaperone.

 

[drron]

This according to the link in the OP comes from August 2025 when they were stranded in Bali. They sued the Government and DFAT but that was thrown out. So a lot more needs to be known. How old are the twins. On a rescheduled flight did the airline even know about the disabilities?

 

[Quickstatus]

I was more annoyed at Disneyworld when morbidly obese people (and there were a few) and their families would skip the long queues with their mobility scooters.

The "bariatric" people would hire a scooter to get around Disneyland. Once on the scooter they queue in the scooter for the rides. Then at the front of the queue, they get off and the attendant rides the scooter to the exit. This minimises the time walking. At food queues, they just queue in the scooter to counter, order their food and the tray sits on the scooter. Most eat while sitting in the scooter. I dont remember priority scooter queuing but why not...

 

[Quickstatus]

Here are the Court Filings with the Federal Court between 1 Oct 2025 and 30 June 2026