News Forum - Woman crawls off plane in Bangkok after allegedly being told to pay for wheelchair

[Thaiger]

A video has gone viral of an Australian woman crawling off of an airplane that landed in Bangkok. The woman, Natalie Curtis, says the flight attendant told her she would have to pay to be wheeled off the plane to her wheelchair.  Curtis said she was offered a special wheelchair that fits in plane aisles when boarding her flight from Singapore to Bangkok. But she said that when she landed, she was told she needed to pay for this service.  Curtis refused to pay, saying she had never been asked to pay for this service before. Curtis’s friend was unable […]

The story Woman crawls off plane in Bangkok after allegedly being told to pay for wheelchair as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[KaptainRob]

Jetstar aka Onestar in the industry ... avoid!

[Chatogaster]

I admire people who stand up for their rights.

[Soidog]

Airlines are some of the worst companies in the world when it comes to customer service. They peddle their nonsense about being valued customers and yet they treat you as nothing more than a commodity. 
 

A wife of a friend of mine is cabin crew for BA long haul flights. It’s eye opening listening to her. Everything from making sure lights are turned out much longer than necessary so people sit down and don’t disturb them wanting snacks and drinks, to deliberately not giving the food choice to passengers they simply don’t like.
 

Some years ago, Ryanair based in Dublin tried to introduce a fee to use the toilets on a flight. I think it was £1 or €1. The outcry ensured it was quickly cancelled. You have to wonder what mindset and mentality meets in the boardrooms of these companies and dreams up with that as a way to increase revenue streams. 
 

Im proud to say I’ve never used Ryanair and I never will. CEO is a total narcissist and I can only image what is said in private about their customers. Avoid  

[Grumpish]

1 hour ago, Soidog said:

A wife of a friend of mine is cabin crew for BA long haul flights. It’s eye opening listening to her. Everything from making sure lights are turned out much longer than necessary so people sit down and don’t disturb them wanting snacks and drinks, to deliberately not giving the food choice to passengers they simply don’t like.

I worked for BA for 25 years up until 1999, and it was going downhill then - a lot is down to bad management and poor labour relations due to senior management progressively worsening pay and conditions in pursuit of the sacred cow of outsourcing. Was a time that I would pay the premium for a BA flight, but not these days, even the premium classes are second rate now.  

[Marc26]

1 hour ago, Soidog said:

Airlines are some of the worst companies in the world when it comes to customer service. They peddle their nonsense about being valued customers and yet they treat you as nothing more than a commodity. 
 

A wife of a friend of mine is cabin crew for BA long haul flights. It’s eye opening listening to her. Everything from making sure lights are turned out much longer than necessary so people sit down and don’t disturb them wanting snacks and drinks, to deliberately not giving the food choice to passengers they simply don’t like.
 

Some years ago, Ryanair based in Dublin tried to introduce a fee to use the toilets on a flight. I think it was £1 or €1. The outcry ensured it was quickly cancelled. You have to wonder what mindset and mentality meets in the boardrooms of these companies and dreams up with that as a way to increase revenue streams. 
 

Im proud to say I’ve never used Ryanair and I never will. CEO is a total narcissist and I can only image what is said in private about their customers. Avoid  

To be honest

 

I'd much rather them keeping the lights down than keep the lights off longer than most of the Asian airlines I fly to Thailand that keep on the lights way too long so they cab go around trying to sell on-board duty free, at like 2-3am

 

I've complained to them many times 

 

I get on a plane with my own water and don't really care about anything else

If they serve food I find edible, great

If not, I will be extra hungry when I land and enjoy a proper meal I really like 

[Marc26]

2 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

Jetstar aka Onestar in the industry ... avoid!

We flew Jetstar once in Vietnam and I said I'd never, ever fly them again 

[Marc26]

3 hours ago, Thaiger said:

A video has gone viral of an Australian woman crawling off of an airplane that landed in Bangkok. The woman, Natalie Curtis, says the flight attendant told her she would have to pay to be wheeled off the plane to her wheelchair.  Curtis said she was offered a special wheelchair that fits in plane aisles when boarding her flight from Singapore to Bangkok. But she said that when she landed, she was told she needed to pay for this service.  Curtis refused to pay, saying she had never been asked to pay for this service before. Curtis’s friend was unable […]

The story Woman crawls off plane in Bangkok after allegedly being told to pay for wheelchair as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

I thought this story was odd until I saw it was Jetstar

 

I showed up at BKK airport all banged up from a MB accident to fly back to Canada 

They insisted they take me in a wheelchair and I declined but they insisted 

Halfway to the gate I told the guy I wss good but I thought the guy was going to cry so I relented and let him wheel me all the way 

[BigHewer]

A good friend of mine is an international cabin attendant for ANA. She said that typically more wheelchairs are needed for boarding than disembarking. How can that be possible?

 

[BigHewer]

11 minutes ago, Marc26 said:

I thought this story was odd until I saw it was Jetstar

I showed up at BKK airport all banged up from a MB accident to fly back to Canada 

They insisted they take me in a wheelchair and I declined but they insisted 

Halfway to the gate I told the guy I wss good but I thought the guy was going to cry so I relented and let him wheel me all the way 

I flew Cathay Pacific with a broken leg once and had a similar experience. Business class upgrade, OTT assistance. I just let them do their thing but to be honest, I would have managed.

[MrNovax]

"miscommunication"  translated - "we didnt expect anyone not to pay and never thought this would end up being a news story"

[MrNovax]

31 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

A good friend of mine is an international cabin attendant for ANA. She said that typically more wheelchairs are needed for boarding than disembarking. How can that be possible?

my guess is that some know they can board first if they claim to need wheelchair assistance.  When the plane lands and they are last to de-board all of a sudden their legs work great.  

[Marc26]

27 minutes ago, BigHewer said:

I flew Cathay Pacific with a broken leg once and had a similar experience. Business class upgrade, OTT assistance. I just let them do their thing but to be honest, I would have managed.

Man I miss Cathay, what an amazing airline

 

When my wife 1st started coming to Canada and was worried about connecting in Hong Kong, they would meet her at the arrival gate and take her to her connecting gate!

[Rookiescot]

1 hour ago, BigHewer said:

A good friend of mine is an international cabin attendant for ANA. She said that typically more wheelchairs are needed for boarding than disembarking. How can that be possible?

Wheelchair users are boarded first. 

Wheelchair users are disembarked last.

Some of those wheelchair users are not genuine.

[Soidog]

42 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

Wheelchair users are boarded first. 

Wheelchair users are disembarked last.

Some of those wheelchair users are not genuine.

Yes, I was told the cabin crew refer to it as a miracle flight. People were wheelchair bound boarding, but after the flight they could walk again.  Hallelujah  

[HolyCowCm]

4 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

Jetstar aka Onestar in the industry ... avoid!

Thanks for the heads up. 

[HolyCowCm]

4 hours ago, Chatogaster said:

I admire people who stand up for their rights.

No pun intended? 

[HolyCowCm]

4 hours ago, Soidog said:

Airlines are some of the worst companies in the world when it comes to customer service. They peddle their nonsense about being valued customers and yet they treat you as nothing more than a commodity. 
 

A wife of a friend of mine is cabin crew for BA long haul flights. It’s eye opening listening to her. Everything from making sure lights are turned out much longer than necessary so people sit down and don’t disturb them wanting snacks and drinks, to deliberately not giving the food choice to passengers they simply don’t like.
 

Some years ago, Ryanair based in Dublin tried to introduce a fee to use the toilets on a flight. I think it was £1 or €1. The outcry ensured it was quickly cancelled. You have to wonder what mindset and mentality meets in the boardrooms of these companies and dreams up with that as a way to increase revenue streams. 
 

Im proud to say I’ve never used Ryanair and I never will. CEO is a total narcissist and I can only image what is said in private about their customers. Avoid  

My all of my Asian Airlines carrier flights have been all peezy wonderfully to the usa. 
Now a USA carriers that starts with a U I will never fly international again.

[Alavan]

3 hours ago, BigHewer said:

A good friend of mine is an international cabin attendant for ANA. She said that typically more wheelchairs are needed for boarding than disembarking. How can that be possible?

Boarding you get priority in a wheelchair, disembarking you have to wait till last. 5555

[HolyCowCm]

4 minutes ago, Alavan said:

Boarding you get priority in a wheelchair, disembarking you have to wait till last. 5555

Not with all frill airlines. She is on a principle. I agree and I don’t agree with how she handled it. 

[Vigo]

Sorry, not accepting the passenger version of events. There may have been a misunderstanding , but it is doubtful the airline crew mentioned having to pay for  aisle chair service. There is a protocol on the service manual and it requires  ground crew to bring the chair and to do the lifting. FAs are not expected to do this as they can injure themselves.  The aisle chair is ordered before the aircraft lands and is a separate service order from a wheelchair. The aircraft may not dock at an airbridge, but may be at a remote stand, in which case, the airchair must either be offloaded via a catering ramp or carried down the stairs by a crew of 3.   The obligation to request any additional or special service is on the passenger. Did the passenger request the aisle chair assist? An airline doesn't have these chairs at every gate, nor does it have a surplus 2 -3 muscular attendants available to offload people in this manner for every gate either.  The obligation is for the airline to accommodate special needs passengers, not to provide personal attendant service. The passenger  had the option of waiting until the aisle chair arrived.

People who fly jetstar demand low cost airfares but expect full service options. If they wish higher quality service, fly a full service airline, not a low budget carrier.

[HolyCowCm]

Read the real full story. She crawled on and she crawled off. 

[Havana]

11 hours ago, Soidog said:

Airlines are some of the worst companies in the world when it comes to customer service. They peddle their nonsense about being valued customers and yet they treat you as nothing more than a commodity. 
 

A wife of a friend of mine is cabin crew for BA long haul flights. It’s eye opening listening to her. Everything from making sure lights are turned out much longer than necessary so people sit down and don’t disturb them wanting snacks and drinks, to deliberately not giving the food choice to passengers they simply don’t like.
 

Some years ago, Ryanair based in Dublin tried to introduce a fee to use the toilets on a flight. I think it was £1 or €1. The outcry ensured it was quickly cancelled. You have to wonder what mindset and mentality meets in the boardrooms of these companies and dreams up with that as a way to increase revenue streams. 
 

Im proud to say I’ve never used Ryanair and I never will. CEO is a total narcissist and I can only image what is said in private about their customers. Avoid  

And the CEO (MIchael O'Leary) also questioned the need for 2 pilots, Captain only and no requirement for a First Officer. Fortunately the CAA, FAA BEA etc refused.

[Soidog]

2 hours ago, Havana said:

And the CEO (MIchael O'Leary) also questioned the need for 2 pilots, Captain only and no requirement for a First Officer. Fortunately the CAA, FAA BEA etc refused.

Yea O’Leary is a vile individual that would not think twice to do anything that cut operating costs, including flying with a single pilot. I think he was the same guy who suggested aircraft should be taken to the runway by tow rather than using its engines and burning fuel. I’m not sure I’d want to be on board an aircraft that’s about to operate it’s engines from cold to full throttle for take off. 
 

I do however think that the whole aviation industry and in particular operations are in need to a kick up the butt. Safety is paramount in aviation. However, I feel too often safety is used as ann excuse to block change and for airlines to hide behind. The whole mindset of operations needs to change but I don’t see where that change will come from.  
 

The late departure excuse that makes me smile is when they announce “we are sorry for the late departure of the flight. This is due to the late arrival of the inbound aircraft”. Said in a way as if it’s a situation out of their control, an act of god! Well hold on. It’s your aircraft!  Why was it late? What did your airline do wrong which resulted in the late arrival of your aircraft? If they announced it was due to the aircraft having to divert to avoid bad weather then fair enough. But if it’s late because cabin crew arrived late, or you failed to arrange a bush back from the stand, then it would be good to know. It’s the fact they feel they can make such a glib announcement and that will suffice speaks volumes.  

[Manu]

10 hours ago, Vigo said:

Sorry, not accepting the passenger version of events. There may have been a misunderstanding , but it is doubtful the airline crew mentioned having to pay for  aisle chair service. There is a protocol on the service manual and it requires  ground crew to bring the chair and to do the lifting. FAs are not expected to do this as they can injure themselves.  The aisle chair is ordered before the aircraft lands and is a separate service order from a wheelchair. The aircraft may not dock at an airbridge, but may be at a remote stand, in which case, the airchair must either be offloaded via a catering ramp or carried down the stairs by a crew of 3.   The obligation to request any additional or special service is on the passenger. Did the passenger request the aisle chair assist? An airline doesn't have these chairs at every gate, nor does it have a surplus 2 -3 muscular attendants available to offload people in this manner for every gate either.  The obligation is for the airline to accommodate special needs passengers, not to provide personal attendant service. The passenger  had the option of waiting until the aisle chair arrived.

People who fly jetstar demand low cost airfares but expect full service options. If they wish higher quality service, fly a full service airline, not a low budget carrier.

Totally agree with you there. I am not sure why people who buy a cheap bottle of sparkling wine expect it to taste like champagne. I fly and flew a lot with low cost airlines over the years, only cause those airlines are going  where I want/need to go, and I always pay for all the extras (so at the end, the price is actually the same than a proper airline) and even then, I always have the feeling of being treated like an animal. But then I know why, they are low cost airlines and I choose to fly with them. Hurting yourself by crawling off a low cost airline plane seems to me, apart from being painful, a completely pointless excercise.