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| SINGAPORE AIRBUS A380-841 9V-SKH (MSN 021) |
Isabella, 23, was travelling with family to and from Europe in January this year when she says she was singled out for being seated in emergency exit row seats that had been booked by another family member.
During the booking process, Singapore Airlines currently lists those who are pregnant, those under 15, those with infants or those in need of "special assistance" as being unable to sit in emergency exit rows.
While Ms Beale is a congenital amputee without a left forearm, she does not require any assistance.
Ms Beale said that on her flight from Australia a staff member left her feeling humiliated in front of other passengers.
"All of a sudden an air hostess approaches me and, in quite a loud tone and quiet, like frantic and rushed, she just says, 'Get out, get out of that seat now, you need to get up'," Ms Beale said.
"I'm a bit taken aback, and I switch seats with my partner, which I think is going to be fine as long as I'm not directly next to the emergency door … everyone is looking at us at this point and can overhear the conversation.
"[She] goes, 'No, get up you have to sit in the row behind'.
"I had a little cry just because it was such an affronting thing to happen … it was very humiliating and upsetting."
Peak bodies for Australians with disabilities say such incidents are common, and government and authorities can take action to improve the situation.
The federal government said disability discrimination and access to air travel would be a key focus of an upcoming aviation review. Ms Beale said while she understands that not having someone with a disability in an exit row may be an airline's policy, that does not excuse staff treating people with disabilities poorly.
"I understand that there might be policy around this, I'm not saying I need you to sit me in emergency, I'm saying I need you to treat me like a human being," she said. On her return flight to Australia, Ms Beale alleges she once again experienced discrimination from staff, even after she consulted with staff members at the check-in desk about where she could sit.
The check-in desk staff confirmed and reissued her ticket, which was still in the exit row of the plane. "It was probably tenfold worse the second time around," she said.
"At first it's one woman and she comes up to me … it's almost take-off time and she goes 'Show me your ticket. You have to move'. Without speaking politely, without acknowledging me as an individual.
"She spoke to my partner and she spoke to my partner's mother, it felt like there was an assumption that I couldn't understand.
"And I don't know if that assumption came because I'm a person with a disability or if she assumed that because I had a physical disability, I had an intellectual disability, which wouldn't matter either way … you still speak to me. I'm still a person." Ms Beale said after she asked for an explanation as to why she had to move seats, more airline staff came onto the flight.
"Then the second ground staff person comes on, and by this point there's two air hostesses, two ground staff, people in the entire flight watching this entire interaction occur," she said.
"The manager gestured at my missing limb and just said 'Well, the problem's obvious, the problem's obvious', and continued repeatedly to say that in front of an entire flight of people.
"I was really upset and hurt and felt like I was being vilified for my disability in front of all of these people, and they were all in a rush and all raising their voices and yelling."
In a statement, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson apologised for "distress or embarrassment caused by the request to move".
Story sourced from here.
Singapore Airlines called out for allegedly discriminating against student with disability - ABC News
During the booking process, Singapore Airlines currently lists those who are pregnant, those under 15, those with infants or those in need of "special assistance" as being unable to sit in emergency exit rows.
While Ms Beale is a congenital amputee without a left forearm, she does not require any assistance.
Ms Beale said that on her flight from Australia a staff member left her feeling humiliated in front of other passengers.
"All of a sudden an air hostess approaches me and, in quite a loud tone and quiet, like frantic and rushed, she just says, 'Get out, get out of that seat now, you need to get up'," Ms Beale said.
"I'm a bit taken aback, and I switch seats with my partner, which I think is going to be fine as long as I'm not directly next to the emergency door … everyone is looking at us at this point and can overhear the conversation.
"[She] goes, 'No, get up you have to sit in the row behind'.
"I had a little cry just because it was such an affronting thing to happen … it was very humiliating and upsetting."
Peak bodies for Australians with disabilities say such incidents are common, and government and authorities can take action to improve the situation.
The federal government said disability discrimination and access to air travel would be a key focus of an upcoming aviation review. Ms Beale said while she understands that not having someone with a disability in an exit row may be an airline's policy, that does not excuse staff treating people with disabilities poorly.
"I understand that there might be policy around this, I'm not saying I need you to sit me in emergency, I'm saying I need you to treat me like a human being," she said. On her return flight to Australia, Ms Beale alleges she once again experienced discrimination from staff, even after she consulted with staff members at the check-in desk about where she could sit.
The check-in desk staff confirmed and reissued her ticket, which was still in the exit row of the plane. "It was probably tenfold worse the second time around," she said.
"At first it's one woman and she comes up to me … it's almost take-off time and she goes 'Show me your ticket. You have to move'. Without speaking politely, without acknowledging me as an individual.
"She spoke to my partner and she spoke to my partner's mother, it felt like there was an assumption that I couldn't understand.
"And I don't know if that assumption came because I'm a person with a disability or if she assumed that because I had a physical disability, I had an intellectual disability, which wouldn't matter either way … you still speak to me. I'm still a person." Ms Beale said after she asked for an explanation as to why she had to move seats, more airline staff came onto the flight.
"Then the second ground staff person comes on, and by this point there's two air hostesses, two ground staff, people in the entire flight watching this entire interaction occur," she said.
"The manager gestured at my missing limb and just said 'Well, the problem's obvious, the problem's obvious', and continued repeatedly to say that in front of an entire flight of people.
"I was really upset and hurt and felt like I was being vilified for my disability in front of all of these people, and they were all in a rush and all raising their voices and yelling."
In a statement, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson apologised for "distress or embarrassment caused by the request to move".
Story sourced from here.
Singapore Airlines called out for allegedly discriminating against student with disability - ABC News
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