Outrage after Virgin Australia staff damages passenger’s wheelchair: ‘It’s like they’ve broken one of my legs’
- Replies 5
For wheelchair users, travelling by plane can be a nerve-wracking experience.
Amid the stress of navigating airports, stowing luggage, and getting to the gate on time, many wheelchair users have an extra worry—’Will my wheelchair make it out of the plane intact?’
Unfortunately, damage to wheelchairs during air travel is seemingly a more common occurrence.
Just ask Victorian school teacher and wheelchair user Maddy Zarb, who was left devastated after a recent Virgin Australia flight.
Zarb alleged that Virgin Australia severely damaged her wheelchair during a flight.
As a result, she couldn’t use it independently, and her family had to assist her for three days on what should have been ‘a relaxing holiday’. Moreover, she faced a large bill due to the damage.
Maddy Zarb, a school teacher from Victoria, had earlier expressed that she ‘felt lucky’ to get a last-minute ticket to see Carlton play against the Brisbane Lions in an AFL Preliminary Final the previous month.
However, her joy was short-lived. Upon landing at Brisbane Airport, she discovered her wheelchair, which she referred to as ‘a part of my body’, was returned in a condition that made it nearly impossible to use.
Zarb states that her recently upgraded electric chair was returned to her in parts, as reported by the ABC.
‘It’s like they've broken one of my legs,’ said Zarb. ‘It's not the same as wrecking a suitcase or jeans or coats, it's like they've actually damaged a part of my body.’
During the three-day trip, her brother, who was with her, fixed the chair to a point where it was ‘semi-functioning’. This allowed Zarb to be pushed around, but she couldn’t move independently.
During her trip, Zarb stated she had to depend on taxis and rented mobility scooters for transportation, a cost she expected Virgin Australia to cover.
She also mentioned that her chair suffered additional damage on her return flight to Victoria.
‘The mobility aid is really essential for Maddy to live a normal life,’ said Cam Hendy, Zarb’s partner.
‘When she's without the chair, it affects our day-to-day activities like cooking, playing with our son, and moving around. It results in a lot of pain for her,’ he explained, noting that Zarb had been without the full function of her wheelchair for five weeks now.
Zarb has incurred over $8,000 in bills related to rental equipment.
She has meticulously documented her expenses for alternative transportation and expects Virgin Australia to reimburse her. The couple describes their interactions with the airline as ‘beyond frustrating’, citing response times of almost a week per email.
The ABC reported that Virgin has agreed to compensate for some of the rental costs in Brisbane and will assess the repair costs for the damaged scooter once fixed.
However, Virgin hasn’t yet addressed Zarb’s claims for other subsequent expenses, such as the costs of wheelchair and vehicle rentals needed for her work.
In a communication from Virgin’s customer relations team, Zarb was told, ‘Please note that we are continuing to work with the airport management team to ensure that this does not occur again.’
If future responses fail to satisfy Zarb, she intends to escalate the issue to the airline's ombudsman.
Virgin has formally apologised to Zarb.
A spokesperson shared, ‘We sincerely apologise to our guest and continue to work closely with them to promptly assess and process outstanding claims.’
‘Virgin Australia has covered the cost of a temporary mobility scooter rental while the guest's scooter is being repaired, and will also handle the repair expenses.’
Zarb’s experience is another addition to the growing list of incidents where wheelchair users have faced inadequate treatment on Australian airlines.
Earlier in the year, Yahoo News Australia highlighted the challenges wheelchair users face when flying. Disability advocates shared their ‘shocking’ and ‘degrading’ stories.
Advocates suggested that every wheelchair user in Australia who has travelled by air can recount troubling experiences with Australian airlines, specifically pointing out Qantas and Jetstar as frequent culprits.
One such example is James Wood, a wheelchair user and advocate from Melbourne, who pointed out several problems tied to flying. He cited instances of misplaced or damaged wheelchairs, prolonged wait times, and instances of discourteous behaviour.
For more details, read the story here.
Members, what are your thoughts on this story? How do you believe airlines should accommodate passengers with disabilities and their mobility aids? Share your insights in the comments below!
Amid the stress of navigating airports, stowing luggage, and getting to the gate on time, many wheelchair users have an extra worry—’Will my wheelchair make it out of the plane intact?’
Unfortunately, damage to wheelchairs during air travel is seemingly a more common occurrence.
Just ask Victorian school teacher and wheelchair user Maddy Zarb, who was left devastated after a recent Virgin Australia flight.
Zarb alleged that Virgin Australia severely damaged her wheelchair during a flight.
As a result, she couldn’t use it independently, and her family had to assist her for three days on what should have been ‘a relaxing holiday’. Moreover, she faced a large bill due to the damage.
Maddy Zarb, a school teacher from Victoria, had earlier expressed that she ‘felt lucky’ to get a last-minute ticket to see Carlton play against the Brisbane Lions in an AFL Preliminary Final the previous month.
However, her joy was short-lived. Upon landing at Brisbane Airport, she discovered her wheelchair, which she referred to as ‘a part of my body’, was returned in a condition that made it nearly impossible to use.
Victorian teacher Maddy Zarb alleged Virgin Australia damaged her wheelchair on a recent flight. Image source: Pixabay
Zarb states that her recently upgraded electric chair was returned to her in parts, as reported by the ABC.
‘It’s like they've broken one of my legs,’ said Zarb. ‘It's not the same as wrecking a suitcase or jeans or coats, it's like they've actually damaged a part of my body.’
During the three-day trip, her brother, who was with her, fixed the chair to a point where it was ‘semi-functioning’. This allowed Zarb to be pushed around, but she couldn’t move independently.
During her trip, Zarb stated she had to depend on taxis and rented mobility scooters for transportation, a cost she expected Virgin Australia to cover.
She also mentioned that her chair suffered additional damage on her return flight to Victoria.
‘The mobility aid is really essential for Maddy to live a normal life,’ said Cam Hendy, Zarb’s partner.
‘When she's without the chair, it affects our day-to-day activities like cooking, playing with our son, and moving around. It results in a lot of pain for her,’ he explained, noting that Zarb had been without the full function of her wheelchair for five weeks now.
Zarb has incurred over $8,000 in bills related to rental equipment.
She has meticulously documented her expenses for alternative transportation and expects Virgin Australia to reimburse her. The couple describes their interactions with the airline as ‘beyond frustrating’, citing response times of almost a week per email.
The ABC reported that Virgin has agreed to compensate for some of the rental costs in Brisbane and will assess the repair costs for the damaged scooter once fixed.
Virgin agreed to cover some costs after the wheelchair damage. Image source: Virgin Australia
However, Virgin hasn’t yet addressed Zarb’s claims for other subsequent expenses, such as the costs of wheelchair and vehicle rentals needed for her work.
In a communication from Virgin’s customer relations team, Zarb was told, ‘Please note that we are continuing to work with the airport management team to ensure that this does not occur again.’
If future responses fail to satisfy Zarb, she intends to escalate the issue to the airline's ombudsman.
Virgin has formally apologised to Zarb.
A spokesperson shared, ‘We sincerely apologise to our guest and continue to work closely with them to promptly assess and process outstanding claims.’
‘Virgin Australia has covered the cost of a temporary mobility scooter rental while the guest's scooter is being repaired, and will also handle the repair expenses.’
Zarb’s experience is another addition to the growing list of incidents where wheelchair users have faced inadequate treatment on Australian airlines.
Earlier in the year, Yahoo News Australia highlighted the challenges wheelchair users face when flying. Disability advocates shared their ‘shocking’ and ‘degrading’ stories.
Advocates suggested that every wheelchair user in Australia who has travelled by air can recount troubling experiences with Australian airlines, specifically pointing out Qantas and Jetstar as frequent culprits.
Mr Wood’s wheelchair, worth over $10,000, was left in the rain at Melbourne Airport. Image source: Supplied/Instagram.
One such example is James Wood, a wheelchair user and advocate from Melbourne, who pointed out several problems tied to flying. He cited instances of misplaced or damaged wheelchairs, prolonged wait times, and instances of discourteous behaviour.
For more details, read the story here.
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