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Qantas refused to pay for repairs to a woman’s wheelchair that was damaged on a domestic flight before reversing its decision when she complained on social media.
Zoe Simmons claimed she initially didn’t even receive an apology from the airline after the wheelchair’s left brake was bent to the side, leaving it “unusable”.
Qantas eventually relented and said it “sincerely apologised” for the “frustrating” experience and would pay for all the required work.
Simmons wrote later in a column for news.com.au that she lives with a disorder called fibromyalgia, which causes “extreme pain, fatigue, brain fog, as well as pins and needles that regularly make my limbs go numb”.
The wheelchair was damaged on a flight from Sydney to Canberra, with many of the screws loose. It meant that she was unable to steer or go down slopes or hills by herself.
Simmons later said, “When I initially reached out to Qantas for help, they told me they wouldn’t repair my wheelchair or reimburse me for damages.
“‘Thank you for taking the time to contact us about your wheelchair,’ their customer care team wrote in an email, after I lodged my damaged property report.
“‘Airlines do not accept liability for minor damage to the brakes, wheels and handles of your wheelchair. Therefore, I am unable to offer you any financial settlement in this matter.’”
After creating a video on Twitter about her experiences, Qantas then reversed its decision.
“We appreciate this has been a very frustrating experience for Ms Simmons and we sincerely apologise,” said the business. “We have contacted her directly and have offered to pay for the required repairs to her wheelchair.”
Qantas later said her complaint had gone to the wrong team, and it would review the incident to ensure it didn’t happen again.
Just made a cute little video about how @Qantas broke my wheelchair and won’t fix it ???? pic.twitter.com/CnFXazJ1ox
— Zoe Simmons | she/her (@ItbeginswithZ) October 5, 2022
The wheelchair row is the latest in a series of embarrassing problems the airline has faced this year. In 2022, it has seen incidents including huge delays at Easter, hours-long call wait times, and even a revelation that the cabin crew of a Qantas A330 were made to sleep across seats in economy.
Last year, the Federal Court ruled the Flying Kangaroo was wrong to outsource 2,000 ground handling roles and subsequently rejected an initial appeal.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce even recorded a ‘formal apology’ to long-standing customers for its post-pandemic struggles.
The video message came alongside a range of perks for frequent flyers, including a $50 voucher towards a return flight and a status extension for silver frequent flyers or above.
“Over the past few months, too many of you have had flights delayed, flights cancelled, and bags misplaced,” Joyce said via video and an email.
“On behalf of the national carrier, I want to apologise and assure you that we’re working hard to get back to our best.”
Craithie
says:If the ‘screws were loose’ on the wheelchair, it meant that its’ size was tried to be reduced to fit through doorway into the hold of operating aircraft, in this instance.
She should’ve had said wheelchair measured at a manned check-in, so this ‘problem’ could’ve been averted.
People book online, but don’t bother telling the airline they’ve got a wheelchair, in the hope that ‘all will be ok’ at the airport.
Sometimes it’s not ok, as not every-sized wheelchair will fit. This depends on aircraft type operating the flight.
It’s the owners’ responsibility to be honest with the airline with whom they book.
DAVE ROGERS
says:Adam, You really have an anti Qantas streak in your reporting. No objectivity, just a seemingly venal attitude. Take this article for instance, the event had nothing to do with those which you repeatedly include in any Qantas article, viz:
“The wheelchair row is the latest in a series of embarrassing problems the airline has faced this year. In 2022, it has seen incidents including huge delays at Easter, hours-long call wait times, and even a revelation that the cabin crew of a Qantas A330 were made to sleep across seats in economy.
Last year, the Federal Court ruled the Flying Kangaroo was wrong to outsource 2,000 ground handling roles and subsequently rejected an initial appeal.”
I assume when you did your journalism training (in the UK?) the tutors always stressed the need for facts, balance, and objectivity.
For your information, I have never worked for Qantas nor have shares in it etc, I have been in the aviation game since the 50s but am one who likes to read factual articles without the sensational element or unnecessary embellishment. I have known the founder of Australian Aviation for decades and Jim developed the magazine’s reputation based on good old fashioned honest and balanced reporting. Try it, you will probably find the readers react to it favourably.
Adam Thorn
says:I have been quick to hand out praise to Qantas, when necessary, too.
https://australianaviation.com.au/2022/09/qantas-backs-up-talk-as-performance-improves-in-august/
AgentGerko
says:Qantas service is appalling. I’ve twice had waits of more than three hours this week and am currently just past the one hour point on another call, and this is to their priority “Travel Agents Connect” centre. How many times must one listed to a recording saying that they apologise for the delay and will be with me shortly? It’s beyond a joke, it’s a disgrace.
Neil Hansford
says:Yet another bit of gutter journalism. What used to be a quality, technical publication is following the tabloids into the gutter.
Clearly this passenger and so many more never think to read the terms and conditions.
That is why frequent flyers have a gag for their chairs which ensures nothing is caught on luggage systems and if anything detaches it will stay in the bag.
Time to stop your journalistic chase to the bottom!
Colin
says:Did this person actually bother to advise QANTAS she was travelling with a wheelchair, when she probably made the booking online?
It’s mandatory that wheelchair dimensions’ be advised to an airline at booking time.
Did she check-in at the airport at a kiosk, or with a manned check-in desk?
If she’d done either of these actions’, she wouldn’t have had a problem.
Some aircraft hold doorways’ are too small for large wheelchairs’ to fit through.
It’s HER responsibility to let the airline she’s travelling with, ALL information about her disability requirements’.
Stop blaming the airline for your tardiness!