Kurt Fearnley

[Lachlan]

This is why everyone should read the terms and conditions when they purchase an airline ticket and therefore it would not be an issue.

I think he is an amazing person but has blown this wayyyyy out of proportion.

 

[np1962]

The story in the afternoon went more along the lines of "Kurt Fearnley was FORCED to crawl through brisbane airport" what a load of shit... He wasn't forced to do anything, he was offered an alternative chair it was his choice to crawl through the airport

While he was not forced to crawl through the airport he was given only one other option, that was sit in this uncomfortable airline chair for 90 minutes until your plane is ready to board. Some choice!
Cheers
Nige

 

[Ragmans Coat]

Does this bloke make beer? Just trying to pick the relavance of this thread to beer thats all

 

[np1962]

This is the normal procedure for most other australian airports, but not at the Brisbane domestic terminal.. 'I'm guessing' they don't have the provisions to transfer anything to the cargo hold once you have reached the boarding gates..

Doesn't make it right, make provision for all your passengers not just the easy ones.

 

[Screwtop]

Skipped reading most of these posts. Will take note of comments made (for or against) by any disabled person posting re this topic. Bit OT for anyone else to be making a judgement call on his treatment by Jetstar.

Screwy

 

[haysie]

Skipped reading most of these posts. Will take note of comments made (for or against) by any disabled person posting re this topic. Bit OT for anyone else to be making a judgement call on his treatment by Jetstar.

Screwy

How your heart beats. Drivel personified.

 

[fergi]

Gee I am glad that this is not a thread about brewing because I have never seen so much mis-informed, opinionated drivel in my life.

From what I saw today on various news sources was that he was speaking at a conference and the comments were made as part of his presentation.

The facts are that he had to wait nearly 2 hours for his plane and the normal procedure is that you use your own wheelchair until you are ready to board the plane and then at the gate you transfer to a narrow wheelchair so that you can be taken to your seat. The 'plane capable' chair is designed to be pushed by airline staff and is narrow so that it can fit in the plane aisle, and they pop your normal chair in the cargo hold for the duration of the flight.

In Kurt's case, they did not follow this procedure and said that he would have to swap to the plane chair at checkin and be pushed to the gate - where he would have to wait the 90 minutes just sitting there without any assistence, toilet breaks, food, drink etc. This is why he said that he would just prefer to crawl around to be able to do 'normal' things while he waited for the boarding time.

I don't think that any of us would want to sit in the same place for 90 minutes waiting for the boarding time.

HTH,
David
(The informer)
[/quote

well look i know its a pita to be sitting around waiting in airports, but when we were in washinton dc last year we had to wait in our plane for over 2 hours while they fixed the aircon in the plane ,we just put up with it . i guess sometimes some people think they deserve more than the average person in the way of special concessions. but you know what, airports /airlines have to think of the terrorist thing and it would be incredibly easy for terrorists to pack a wheel chair with explosives and when the chair gets right up to the plane ," POP" job done, not saying he is anything like a terrorist but airline staff would have no idea who the hell he was either.
fergi

 

[perce84]

I agree with Dave so many misinformed opinions. The whole situation is a farce, it is widely acknowledged that "disabled" people do not wish to be labelled "disabled" they r disabled through circumstance and not choice. Kurt chooses to be treated like a normal citizen in everything he does, he is not disabled he is enabled by a wheelchair. Some of the opinions stated are absolutely ridiculous its not about getting a "free ride to his seat" its about being treated the way he wants to with respect and dignity. Society needs to stop looking at him and others as disabled they are the same as you and i, but through circumstance they are bound by a wheelchair and should be treated equally.

 

[beerbrewer76543]

Give him a skateboard I say. He'd look cool as shit carving up the airport. He could even bust out a few tricks like a "crip flick" or the like...

 

[AndrewQLD]

This has been moved to the "Off Topic" forum as it really has no relevance to brewing whatsoever.

Andrew

 

[jonocarroll]

Skipped reading most of these posts. Will take note of comments made (for or against) by any disabled person posting re this topic. Bit OT for anyone else to be making a judgement call on his treatment by Jetstar.

Fair call. Couldn't agree more.

On a different note, I am hereby ignoring all posts by anyone who doesn't currently have in their possession either of the following:

- An airport, or
- An airline.

Either will suffice to regain my attention. I think it's a bit unfair and off-topic for anyone not currently in possession of either of the above items to be making a judgment call on Jetstar's treatment by this person.

 

[Adamt]

I think it's more of a matter of the media making a judgment call (on purpose, to attract viewers), and that there are gullible sheep willing to not only listen to it, but believe it as gospel.

 

[smudge]

This has been moved to the "Off Topic" forum as it really has no relevance to brewing whatsoever.

Andrew

Ahhh! Thank god Andrew is here. I knew that if one of the mods thought this thread should be "touched" it would be Andrew!

Cheers,
smudge