Virgin Blue 'lost' disabled passenger

[bambbbam2]

From
Virgin Blue 'lost' disabled passenger | Perth Now

A DEAF woman who boarded a flight in Melbourne was lost at Brisbane Airport for five hours and missed a connecting flight because Virgin Blue staff failed to assist her.

Surge Singh booked the Monday morning flight for his 38-year-old aunt Saras Wati, who is also mute and unable to read or write English, to her homeland Fiji after being promised staff would make sure they helped her onto the connecting international flight in Brisbane.

 

[munitalP]

Is it heartless of me to go...


LOL


Mr!

 

[medhead]

Is it heartless of me to go...


LOL


Mr!

YES!

and no.

I have a lot of empathy for the lady. But it is a rather funny description of the events.

 

[gilby08]

I'm suprised that it has made it to nonews' front page with comments open!

And lol it is funny!

 

[Danger]

I must say I do feel for anyone who is deaf, mute and can't read or write English.

 

[joeymelb]

I must say I do feel for anyone who is deaf, mute and can't read or write English.

I wonder if that lady wore an identification tag or have some form of documentation on her to show the ground staff?

It is a funny and sad story. Sincerely hope that VB and other disable passengers (and their carers) will find ways to improve air travel for those disadvantaged.

 

[anat0l]

This incident should have been avoided.

Not quite sure how it is funny, maybe I'm thinking of the wrong funny (like it's not "ha-ha" funny). I am surprised she lip reads, albeit lip reads Hindi; more surprised that there just happened to be a DJ member of staff who speaks Hindi and even more surprised she was allowed to look after her (i.e. what about company policy?)

I must say I do feel for anyone who is deaf, mute and can't read or write English.

Read or write English is a difficult one...it's quite hard to negotiate international airports without being able to do either, let alone speak some English.

It's fine if everything goes honky-dory, but when non-English speaking people get into trouble, especially at English speaking airports... (admittedly, we (English speaking countries) are not very effective at handling such scenarios; customs is an excellent example...)

 

[Hvr]

By anat0l Read or write English is a difficult one...it's quite hard to negotiate international airports without being able to do either, let alone speak some English.

It's fine if everything goes honky-dory, but when non-English speaking people get into trouble, especially at English speaking airports... (admittedly, we (English speaking countries) are not very effective at handling such scenarios; customs is an excellent example...)

Agree airports can be very hard to navigate when you're literate let alone not abl;e to speak English and with other difficulties. If found to be negligence rather than stuff up then some one should be dealt with very severely.

Of all the recent publicity about airlines stuffing up people needing assistance I think this is the worst.

 

[Skoogle]

I must say I do feel for anyone who is deaf, mute and can't read or write English.

Agreed. It would be great if everyone could enjoy airline travel like all of us on AFF.

However I cannot help feeling that this person may have needed a carer, rather than travel by themselves.

In my family, we have members whom cannot travel alone. It is just a choice that families need to make to protect their own. Just the same when a family member must stop driving, even though they may not wish to do so.

 

[yo yo ma]

However I cannot help feeling that this person may have needed a carer, rather than travel by themselves.

That sums the whole situation nicely.

 

[medhead]

However I cannot help feeling that this person may have needed a carer, rather than travel by themselves.

I can't exactly agree. They would have been fine in a hindi speaking airport.

I do think the family could have made sure she knew what she was doing, by preplanning and preparing for the transfer. Perhaps also giving her a note that explained the situation and asked for directions to flight xx_ to be handed to staff. Translations of the flight details to hindi? Basic schooling in reading numbers?

that kinda thing.

BTW, It is a terrible situation, but the keystone cop actions of the staff to finding her is amusing.

 

[harvyk]

However I cannot help feeling that this person may have needed a carer, rather than travel by themselves.

I agree... International travel can be difficult enough (present company excluded) especially one that has connections. But then throw in the inability to communicate, and the inability to understand English it's no wonder the lady was lost.

 

[serfty]

I guess this customer would be considered disabled.

In which case, once DJ accepted her custom, they should have looked after her like any other customer with needs.

I guess there was a disconnect somewhere.

Funny? Not for me ...

I wonder if this would have hapended had this customer been blind rather than deaf/mute.

 

[oz_mark]

I guess this customer would be considered disabled.

In which case, once DJ accepted her custom, they should have looked after her like any other customer with needs.

I guess there was a disconnect somewhere.

The airlines generally have not been doing well with disabled pax lately. If they are not careful they may find some legislative changes heading their way.

 

[BAM1748]

I don't think it was very funny at all.

Airlines need to put a bit more effort into assisting passengers with needs - don't forget it may be us one day.

Airlines say they say they want the custom including people with disability, well don't tell me show me!

A Virgin failure in this case.

Matt