‘It broke me’: Mum blasts rules for daughter on Brisbane flight
A mother says she was left sobbing in a Queensland airport after staff demanded she prove her daughter was medically cleared to fly.
A mother has slammed Virgin Australia for what she says has been a lack of accessibility for her young daughter, Willow.
Taking to social media, Dee – the mum behind Willow’s Way Facebook page – blasted the “completely unacceptable” treatment the pair received while trying to board a flight from Mackay to Brisbane on Thursday.
“Willow has an (nasogastric) feeding tube. It’s how she receives her nutrition,” Dee began.
“For the first 18 months of her life, she also travelled with oxygen, which meant we regularly had to complete medical clearances.
“I know the medical clearance proces … and nowhere does it specifically state that a child travelling with an NG feeding tube automatically requires medical clearance.
“Yet on Thursday, I was suddenly told otherwise.”
Dee said after arriving at the airport “extremely early” to check in oversized luggage, she requested to take Willow’s pram to the gate “because travelling with a medically complex child means carrying a significant amount of equipment and supplies”.
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There, an “absolute nightmare” began unfolding as she was questioned over Willow’s medical clearance to fly.
“When I explained that she didn’t require one for her feeding tube, I was told she did and [was] asked to stand aside until they [could] help me.”
Dee went on to say it took about 40 minutes until she was “asked a series of questions from people on the other end of the phone, including requests for medical information and doctor’s clearances that I had no reason to believe were required”.
“And to make matters worse, when I questioned why Willow suddenly needed medical clearance, the lady at the desk actually said to me, ‘It’s got respiratory on the form, and an NG tube is respiratory because it goes in her nose’.
“An NG tube delivers nutrition directly into the stomach. It is not respiratory equipment.”
Dee said while she did not expect airline staff to be medically trained, she did “absolutely expect them to understand the policies they’re responsible for enforcing… before making decisions that could prevent a child from boarding a flight”.
“And here’s the part that makes absolutely no sense,” she wrote.
“Three days earlier, I flew from Brisbane to Mackay with Virgin Australia.
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“Same child. Same feeding tube. Same medical needs. Same airline. Not one question. Not one issue. Not one medical clearance required.
“Yet somehow, three days later, Willow suddenly needed medical clearance to fly home?
“There is absolutely no consistency. And… it broke me.”
Other families shared similar experiences in their comments.
“The very same thing happened to us,” one mum wrote.
“I was asked about my son’s medical clearance. I politely asked for what, and the staff member says for the tube in his nose as it was a respiratory device. I said ‘no it’s a feeding tube’ and he practically called me a liar.”
“Airlines need to realise that parents and children with complex needs travel a lot for specialised care,” another woman replied.
“This isn’t an issue for one family alone, and needs to be seriously addressed.”
In an statement, a Virgin Australia spokesperson said the airline had “connected with Willow’s family to apologise for their experience and offer immediate support”.
“We understand the importance of supporting guests with accessibility requirements throughout their journey, and are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive travel experience for all our guests.”
Dee has been contacted for further comment.
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