Luke Ogden just wants to be treated with dignity and respect. 81917 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By VANESSA CHIRCOP
VIRGIN Australia has begun an investigation into their treatment of a disabled passenger this month.
When Luke Ogden booked flights to Hobart to visit his sister, it was to take his mind off the fact that his condition was deteriorating – what he got was a harsh reminder of how badly people with disabilities can be treated.
The Altona resident was born with a rare genetic physical disability, Ataxia-telangiecta.
Upon booking flights with the airline, Luke and his mother Lee were assured he would be able to take his electric wheelchair up to the departure gate before having to be transferred into a manual wheelchair, however this was not the case.
Lee said the whole process was very undignifying and things just continued to get worse.
Upon arriving in Hobart, Luke, still in a manual chair, was given back his electric chair, only it had been dismantled and the cabling was disconnected.
Luke and his sister were forced onto the floor to try and put the machine back together.
The 26-year-old, who has travelled with other airlines, said this was the first time he’d ever seen his chair dismantled by an airline.
His flight home was no better.
Upon arriving in Melbourne, Luke was wheeled to the arrival gate by Virgin staff but not transported to where his mother was waiting to pick him up or given his own chair.
For half an hour Luke was left alone, waiting at the gate, unable to move.
He was finally forced to ask a passerby to ask a staff member when he would be moved.
“He was treated like a piece of luggage – like an inconvenience,” Lee said.
Lee was finally brought to her son, who was once again forced to the floor to try and put together his chair which had been dismantled.
“I’m so angry,” she said.
“To see him on the floor trying to figure out all that cabling.
“Luke is deteriorating – his condition is degenerative.
“His fine motor skills aren’t as good as they used to be.
“We’re dealing with enough – is it too much to ask for him to just be treated like a decent human being?”
A spokesperson for Virgin Australia said they were committed to ensuring a safe and comfortable travel experience for all guests.
“For guests with mobility impairments, we provide assistance on and off our flights and the use of airport-aisle wheelchairs to ensure safety,” the spokesperson said.
“We take incidents such as this one very seriously and have undertaken a full investigation of the matter.
“We have spoken directly with the affected guest and offered him our sincere apologies for any distress the incident may have caused.”
Star understands the company has offered to refund the cost of Luke’s flights.
