The Northern Express Herald

Virgin Australia reviews disability incident after passenger removed from flight

NZ Herald
Virgin Australia is reviewing an incident involving disability advocate Shane Hryhorec, who says he was removed from a flight after a dispute over storing a motorised attachment for his wheelchair. Photo / Shane Hryhorec
Virgin Australia is reviewing an incident involving disability advocate Shane Hryhorec, who says he was removed from a flight after a dispute over storing a motorised attachment for his wheelchair. Photo / Shane Hryhorec

Virgin Australia is reviewing an incident involving disability advocate who says he was removed from a flight after a dispute over storing an attachment for his wheelchair.

Shane Hryhorec, 41, was travelling with his service dog and SmartDrive device when issues arose over onboard storage.

Hryhorec said he has travelled with the device for more than 15 years and taken hundreds of flights without similar problems, according to News.com.au.

“I’ve flown more than 300 times with it and never had an issue,” he told the outlet. “But all of a sudden they’ve implemented a new rule where the battery needs to go under your seat.”

A SmartDrive motorises a wheelchair, reducing pushing effort by up to 80%.

“The only seat that I can sit in, because I travel with a service dog, is the middle seat and then she takes the window.

“There was no negotiation, that was where they put me, but there was no space to put a SmartDrive at all,” Hryhorec said.

“The whole thing was so embarrassing.”

Speaking to ABC News, Hryhorec said he had flown on three Virgin Australia services with the same equipment in the days before the incident and the device had been stored in an overhead locker.

Virgin Australia is reviewing an incident involving disability advocate Shane Hryhorec, who says he was removed from a flight after a dispute over storing a motorised attachment for his wheelchair. Photo / Shane Hryhorec
Virgin Australia is reviewing an incident involving disability advocate Shane Hryhorec, who says he was removed from a flight after a dispute over storing a motorised attachment for his wheelchair. Photo / Shane Hryhorec

He said he discussed several alternatives with cabin crew, including changing seats or storing the device elsewhere, but was told he would need to leave the aircraft.

Hryhorec later posted video of the incident online, describing the experience as “mortifying”. He told News.com.au it was “so embarrassing having 200 passengers watch me getting dragged off a plane”.

“It made me feel so small and so degraded. It is not any way how you should treat a human being, ever,” he said.

Virgin Australia said it was reviewing the incident and remained committed to providing an accessible and inclusive travel experience.

In a statement to ABC News, the airline said the device had not been declared before boarding and was incorrectly assessed as a lithium battery rather than a battery-powered mobility aid.

As a result, staff incorrectly advised it could not be stored in an overhead locker.

The airline apologised for the “confusion and frustration” caused and acknowledged the handling of the device was inconsistent with Hryhorec’s previous travel experiences.

Hryhorec has lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission.