Pregnant woman spends night on streets after airline refuses to fly her, Latest World News - The New Paper
World

Pregnant woman spends night on streets after airline refuses to fly her

This article is more than 12 months old

Budget carrier Tigerair Australia has launched a review after two of its employees turned away a heavily pregnant passenger in Australia even though she had been permitted to travel to Sydney with the same carrier two days earlier.

Passenger Aileen Chand, 30, said she was then forced to spend part of the night on the streets with her husband and two-year-old son, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.

Her husband Sharneet Chand said his wife was 34 weeks pregnant and had a doctor's certificate saying she was fit to fly.

But the Tigerair staff deemed it "invalid", reported local newspaper Herald Sun.

TOUGH: Mrs Aileen Chand, who was 34 weeks pregnant, had to spend part of a night on the streets with her husband and two-year-old son after she was not allowed on a flight. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/SHARNEET CHAND

Mr Chand said he showed the medical clearance - the same one he used to fly his wife up to Sydney just two days earlier - to one of the employees at Sydney Airport at about 8pm on Sunday.

"She told us she would put us on the morning flight if a (new) medical certificate was presented," Mr Chand said.

"I asked if Tigerair could give us accommodation as my wife and child were both very exhausted and we had no money to book (anything) last minute."

He added their request for accommodation was also denied, leaving them to spend a part of the night on the streets cradling their son. They were later helped by friends.

The Tigerair website specifies flying is not allowed from the start of the 35th week of pregnancy and women up to the 34th week require a medical certificate.

A spokesman for the airline said the matter would be reviewed internally and that staff technically did not do anything wrong as Mrs Chand had entered the 35th week of pregnancy on Sunday.

AustraliapregnancyUncategoriseddoctor's certificate