Airlines warned not to bar disabled | The Australian

I wonder if some local airlines are taking note of this... Perhaps it would be a good time to finally go ahead with the court action against Nationwide Airlines, before they completely disappear!?

Airlines warned not to bar disabled | The Australian: "'It's fine for low-cost or budget airlines to reduce services,' human rights commissioner Graeme Innes said yesterday. 'But not carrying passengers with disabilities can't be part of those reductions and to do so is against the law. 'As commissioner, I intend to ensure wherever I can that airlines meet their obligations to all passengers, not just passengers without disabilities.' Tiger is offering affected passengers a full refund and says the problem stems from the inability of its third-party ground handler to obtain special hydraulic devices capable of lifting wheelchairs on to planes. It did not expect the lifters to be available at all destinations until the end of February. Tiger's application comes as a report, due to be released this week by the PIAC, says an analysis of the experiences of 110 airline passengers demonstrates a systemic failure of legislation introduced in 2002 to set standards for disabled access to public transport. The report finds recent development and application of airline policy, and changes to baggage handling, have made disabled access more difficult, particularly for people with motorised or bigger wheelchairs. 'Some passengers who travelled independently for many years now find themselves barred from travel or facing the imposition of unreasonable conditions,' it says."