Model and disability advocate Akii Ngo ‘left concussed’ after falling from wheelchair at Adelaide Airport

A model and disability advocate reported suffering concussion and severe headaches after a “traumatising” fall from a wheelchair at Adelaide Airport.

A model and disability advocate was told to get a brain scan after being injured falling from a wheelchair in a “traumatic” experience at Adelaide Airport.

The airline in question and the airport have both launched investigations after Adelaide-born Akii Ngo, 28, said they were concussed after being escorted from the plane to the terminal.

The Melbourne-based model is a gender and disability advocate and was transiting through Adelaide from Sydney on Saturday, after celebrating Australian Fashion Week.

Akii, who uses they/them pronouns, said Jetstar staff wheeling them through the aerobridge that connects the plane to the airport hit a rough bump, causing them to fall.

“They leveraged it (the wheelchair) a bit rough and I ended up being tipped off the wheelchair and I hit my head on the metal and glass component on the side of the flight bridge and ended up on the floor,” Akii told The Advertiser.

Supplied Editorial Akii Ngo, a model living in Melbourne. Picture: Instagram

“From there it was extremely chaotic, there was a lot of yelling, mainly at me to be honest, the first thing the staff member said was ‘why didn’t you hold on tighter?’”

After visiting a doctor on Monday due to ongoing headaches, dizziness, nausea and sensitivity to light, they were told they had suffered a concussion and potential brain bruising – requiring a CT scan.

Results from the scan are not yet known.

Akii, who lives with chronic pain and multiple disabilities requiring a wheelchair, said the situation was traumatising.

“The treatment by the staff was really appalling, it felt like they were blaming me for the situation, and they kept telling us to calm down,” Akii said.

They said the situation was prompted by systemic issues within the airport.

Akii Ngo says the reaction from airline staff was “appalling”. Picture: Instagram

“I’ve flown with other airlines before and I've had not so pleasant experiences but I've never fallen out of a chair because I've been appropriately strapped in,” they said.

“I've been communicated to when I'm going over a rough bump, none of that was communicated to me.

“They didn’t apologise, they didn’t acknowledge my pain, it was just really quite traumatic and really dehumanising.

“I wasn’t treated with respect or dignity, it is hard, I’m still struggling with the trauma of it all.”

Akii still has to wear sunglasses inside because the injuries have made their eyes sensitive to light.

A Jetstar spokesperson said the safety of customers is their number one priority and they were taking the claim very seriously.

“A number of team members attended to assist the customer on the aerobridge, and checked in on them again at the baggage carousel,” the spokesperson said.

“We’ve also reached out to the customer several times yesterday and today to better understand their experience and are waiting to hear back.

“Our team members are well trained to provide assistance to customers requiring wheelchairs, and we continue to investigate what happened in this instance.”

An Adelaide Airport spokesperson said they were investigating the incident.