Quadriplegic engineer Julie Brice and Herbert MP Phillip Thompson celebrate changes to airline travel protocol

A Townsville engineer, who is quadriplegic and uses an electric wheelchair, is celebrating a big win after a major airlines has agreed to make changes to their booking process.

Phillip Thompson OAM MP, with Julie Brice, have been fighting the airlines for a fair go, after they were told Ms Brice, would be unable to take her wheelchair on the plane. Picture: Shae Beplate.

A Townsville engineer, who is a quadriplegic and uses an electric wheelchair, is celebrating after a major nationwide airline has agreed to overhaul their booking process to better accommodate those with a disability.

The Townsville Bulletin first shared Julie Brice’s fight for a fair go back in June.

Ms Brice, a structural engineer, was rendered quadriplegic after suffering a spinal cord injury, meaning she must use an electric wheelchair.

She described her struggle after having her requests to travel with her electric wheelchair denied by several airlines.

Those requests were usually knocked back due to weight restrictions and the fact that many of the airlines also didn’t have a hoist to be able to safely move her in and out of the plan.

Backed up by her own experiences and knowledge as an engineer, Ms Brice had plans and ideas that she believed the airlines could implement to enable wheelchair users to have a seat on a plane.

She and Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson took their fight for fairness and equality to the airlines and are continuing to call on the government to stop the “discrimination” by implementing mandatory protocols for airlines.

Phillip Thompson OAM MP, with Julie Brice, have been fighting the airlines for a fair go, after they were told Ms Brice, would be unable to take her wheelchair on the plane. Picture: Shae Beplate.

After tirelessly advocating, they met with officials at Qantas who have agreed to make major changes to better accommodate those travelling with wheelchairs.

“Changing the booking process so that we can put all our data in when booking and not having to ring three days ahead and asking to have everything organised or ring a separate customer line, even a small step such as that makes a huge difference to our lives,” Ms Brice said.

Following their meeting, Ms Brice said the airline had been “very proactive”, including inviting her to help them design a way for their new aircraft to have wheelchair seats.

“They have been very open with me and explained to me that there are approximately 156 points from the time that you book with them to the time that you fly where things can go wrong,” she said.

Phillip Thompson OAM MP, with Julie Brice, have been fighting the airlines for a fair go, after they were told Ms Brice, would be unable to take her wheelchair on the plane. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Other initiatives Ms Brice is speaking with the airline about include widening the entry to the plane and looking at having a docking station with tie-down straps to secure a wheelchair.

“When you buy an aircraft, whether that be Boeing or Airbus, you get to design the interior,” she said.

“If Qantas could find a way to put in one or two wheelchair spots in the plane that would be great.”

Travelling to Melbourne in September to represent Queensland in the Australian State Scrabble Challenge, Ms Brice said Qantas has been very helpful in organising to take the weight of her chair, provided that it fits the cargo dimensions.

She is unable to do this on a direct flight so has to make a stopover in Brisbane - with the airline happy to price match.

“I am really happy they have reached out and are being so inclusive,” she said.

“If Qantas can find a way to put one of two wheelchair spots on a plane that would be great.

“It would have been nice to hear back more from Jetstar and Virgin but we will get there in the end.”

Qantas planes (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

Happy with the changes implemented, Ms Brice said there is still a long way to go in terms of greater accessibility in all aspects of daily life for those with a disability.

“The market for disability travel is hugely underestimated,” she said.

“So many people have ended up with broken wheelchairs. For a lot of them, once that has happened to you once or twice it isn’t worth it.

“Queensland Rail is very good, but one of the biggest problems is that when you get to your destination there are no wheelchair taxis available.”

Ms Brice said there was a huge area of concern in Townsville with people missing appointments at the hospital or doctors due to lack of wheelchair taxis.

Mr Thompson said it was a huge win and that Qantas had done “the right thing.”

“We’ve got a major airline committing to changing the platform on how you can book,” he said.

Transport minister, Catherine King.

“Getting Qantas on board will then pressure the other airlines to do the same thing because in 2025, it’s not good enough to turn a blind eye to people regardless of their situation.”

Mr Thompson said he will continue to push the government to make mandatory changes to what airlines can do.

He said currently the government’s Aviation Whitepaper Towards 2025 is falling short by giving the airlines outs to allow them to avoid catering to those with mobility aids.

“Through the government’s White Paper they talk about what airlines should do, not what they must do,” he said.

“I would like the government to make it a mandatory requirement, rather than it being an out airlines will take.

“Airlines have to be made accountable.”

Back in June, in response to Ms Brice’s experience, Transport Minister Catherine King said it was clear that the treatment of people with a disability by airlines and airports is “not good enough”.

“My department will soon hold workshops with people who have lived experience of disability and their representatives or carers.”

Originally published as Quadriplegic engineer Julie Brice and Herbert MP Phillip Thompson celebrate changes to airline travel protocol