Budget airlines like Jetstar have a simple promise that air travel should be open to everyone. By cutting out extras like free food and assigned seats, they try to turn flying into something most people can afford.
However, my mum’s experience showed us a very different reality. Not only are flights getting incredibly expensive, but budget airlines have also created a system that blocks out people with disabilities. When being disabled is treated as a problem rather than a basic human right, flying stops being fair.
My Mum’s Story: Blocked at the Checkout
To understand why budget airlines struggle with accessibility, you have to look at their strict rules. They run on tight schedules and small crews, so anything that takes extra time is seen as a slowdown.
My mum is a perfect example of how this hurts travelers. She does not need full assistance to her seat or a wheelchair onboard. She simply needs a little help getting up the stairs to the plane.
1. The Booking Wall
Jetstar forces you to declare your need for help during the online booking process. They have a strict limit on how many people can get assistance on each flight. If that limit is already reached, the website just stops you from buying a ticket.
I guess it is better to find out online rather than being turned away at the airport, but it is still a terrible feeling. Being blocked from a flight just because you need help on the stairs is deeply unfair.
2. The Qantas Comparison
When we look at full-service airlines like Qantas, the process is okay but still not perfect. Qantas requires you to fill out an assistance form, but the form is clearly designed only for full-time wheelchair users. It makes things confusing for people like my mum who fall somewhere in the middle. Still, it is much better than the hard rejection we get from Jetstar.
3. The Illusion of “Cheap” Tickets
The most frustrating part of this whole experience is the price tag. Budget airlines claim to be cheap, but the cost of flying has gone up drastically. If we need to pick certain return flights, we are looking at paying almost $1,000 each.
When you are paying a grand for a ticket, you expect basic customer service. Being forced to pay those prices while still being treated like a massive inconvenience is completely unacceptable.
Redefining Travel for Everyone
Airlines love to advertise how they open up the world and make travel possible for the masses. But a sky that is only open if your body fits perfectly into their fast corporate routine is not truly open.
- Low cost should not mean low dignity.
- A quick boarding time should never be an excuse to exclude people.
If airlines want credit for connecting the world, they need to make sure their flights actually work for everyone. Until they build basic accessibility into their everyday operations, their promises will mean nothing for people like my mum.