Almost Denied Flight Because “I Can’t Communicate” by People Who Hadn’t Spoken to Me

I was almost denied my flight home because ‘I can’t communicate’ by staff who never spoke to me.

I’ve been wanting to set up a new website for quite some time. Being treated so poorly at Canberra airport stirred me into action.

I had spent two days lobbying government alongside other women in leadership to #HelpFightFamine.

I said goodbye to my support worker as I was wheeled through the gate. A few metres from the door of the plane I was assisted to transfer into the aisle chair. I waited. I could see flight attendants talking in a group. After a couple of minutes, it dawned on me that they might be talking about me. I asked a staff member, who’d gone back and forth from the plane to me, what was happening. “Just a hold up” she said.

I waited. A woman wearing an airline jacket came down the walkway. She asked me if I had a communication board. “No.” I said. She went to the group on the plane. The man who assisted me to transfer to the aisle chair came from the group (I sensed he was on my side). He told me that they weren’t sure if I could fly because I can’t communicate. “They haven’t even spoken to me.” I said.  He said “The flight crew have the authority. I wouldn’t necessarily agree with them.” “But how am I going to get home?” I said.  “I can’t comment on that.” he said.

I was very stressed. I got my phone ready to call my manager. The woman wearing the airline jacket returned, saying that she’d spoken to somebody, and that I had been cleared to fly. They took me onto the plane

I was angry and upset. I looked desperately for a fellow member of the Women’s Leaders Delegation. I found one and got her attention. I’m not sure how much she understood because I was physically a bit stiff with stress, but she understood enough. “Do you want me to speak to them?” “When we get off” I said.” She knew I was quite upset

She waited for me at the front of the plane and then advocated alongside me. She knew I had been treated poorly. The pilot came and spoke with me. I told him what had happened. He said “We didn’t mean to upset you, we just wanted to make sure everything was Okay.” They wrote an internal report.

Despite being exhausted, I went to the airline’s service desk to make a complaint. The woman who I spoke to said that how I had been treated was disgusting.

There is still so much education about inclusion and respect for people with disabilities that needs to occur.

I’m available!