Air travel can be challenging for customers travelling with electric wheelchairs. When flying with Jetstar in 2019, a customer, Bodhi, communicated his need to remain in his electric wheelchair up until the departure gate and to receive his electric wheelchair at the arrival gate. Instead, Bodhi was required to transfer to a Jetstar wheelchair at the check-in area. Since that time, Bodhi and his mother have been advocating for customers to remain in their electric wheelchairs up until the departure gate and to receive their electric wheelchairs at the arrival gate.
Jetstar’s practice at Sydney Airport Terminal 2 (T2) is that customers transfer out of their electric wheelchairs at the check-in area and are then assisted in a Jetstar wheelchair to their aircraft seat. The electric wheelchair is then returned to the customer near the baggage carousel on arrival.
Bodhi’s experience has contributed to enhanced awareness of the challenges faced by customers travelling with electric wheelchairs.
Jetstar takes the accessibility, safety and comfort of customers who require specific assistance seriously and is committed to regularly reviewing the customer experience provided to customers with specific needs.
In 2021, Jetstar established a dedicated Contact Centre team to assist customers with specific assistance queries. Jetstar’s Contact Centre can be contacted 7 days a week between 6am and 10pm AEST on 131 538 or via the Live Chat on jetstar.com to make a booking or to request specific assistance. This can also be done via the online booking system on jetstar.com. If the customer requires further information about the assistance provided by Jetstar or wishes to discuss their specific needs, the dedicated specific assistance team can contact the customer within 24 hours or on the next business day between 8am-5pm Monday to Friday.
This is in addition to the information available on Jetstar.com about Jetstar’s Disability Access Facilitation Plan. This plan outlines the assistance which is available at each step of the travel experience, so customers can plan their travel and make decisions about whether it meets their specific needs or preferences.