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| TIGERAIR A320-232 VH-XUH (CN 6749) (File Photo) |
Saw this on the TV this morning and was disgusted beyond belief but not surprised by Tiger air's actions.
A heavily pregnant woman was not allowed to fly home to Melbourne on a Tigerair Australia flight on Sunday, even though she had been permitted to travel to Sydney with the discount carrier two days earlier.
Aileen Chand, who was travelling with her husband and her two-year-old son, said they were forced to wait at a bus stop for two hours after she was not allowed to board the plane, until friends arrived at Sydney Airport to collect the family.
Ms Chand had little choice but to "sleep rough in a bus shelter" with her husband and young son, Seven News reported.
"The staff suggested my son and husband fly back to Melbourne without me and I became very distressed. I don't drive and never travel alone," she told Yahoo7 on Monday.
"There was a lot of commotion and my little boy was getting very distressed, it was horrible and clearly wrong that they wanted to separate a young family like that."
Ms Chand said Tigerair Australia flight attendants questioned her when she reached the boarding gate.
"She just goes 'are you pregnant?' 'Yes, I am'."
The 30-year-old woman from Epping, Victoria had obtained a medical certificate to fly up to Sydney days earlier, but when she showed it to staff at the check-in desk she was told it was no longer valid.
The Tigerair Australia staff refused to let Ms Chand on the flight because in that two days she had reached a point where the airline judged her too far along in her pregnancy to fly.
By the time of the return flight, Ms Chand was one day into her 35th week.
A Tigerair Australia spokeswoman said the airline's pregnancy policy stated passengers who are 30-34 weeks pregnant need a medical certificate.
But she said the airline does not allow pregnant women to fly from the beginning of the 35th week.
"The safety, comfort and wellbeing of our customers is Tigerair Australia's top priority and we never compromise on our safety standards," she said.
The airline will offer the family a full refund.
Jetstar allows women who are up to 40-weeks pregnant to fly as long as they have a doctor's certificate.
Story found here: http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/what-not-to-expect--tigerair-flies-heavily-pregnant-woman-to-sydney-wont-bring-her-home-again-20160314-gnii23.html#ixzz42v2o2l2S
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