"An expression of love she had waited 20 years to experience"... Sarah Paywee and her friend and supporter Michelle Mattys. Source: news.com.au
- Sarah thought her kids had been murdered
- After 20 years, finally a reunion with them
- But made to choose between her wheelchair..
- Or clothes for her impoverished family
IT was the reunion she had dreamed of for 20 years. Sarah Paywee, who was separated from her children and grandchildren in the African nation of Liberia two decades earlier, was finally returning to the war-torn country.
Ms Paywee fled to Australia after her husband was murdered by assailants and she was violently assaulted. She believed her children had been killed during the war, but later discovered that they had survived.
She was determined to save the money to one day return to her family, who live in one of the poorest countries in the world, and wanted to bring gifts of clothing they desperately needed.
Instead Ms Paywee, who can barely walk without her wheelchair, was left in tears at Perth International Airport earlier this month after she was allegedly forced to discard her gifts at a Thai Airways check-in. The clerk allegedly told her the wheelchair exceeded her baggage allowance.
Ms Paywee was flying to Bangkok with Thai Airways, and then from Bangkok to Liberia with Kenya Airways. The Thai Airways check-in clerk told Ms Paywee that under Kenya Airways rules, passengers were only permitted a baggage allowance of 40kg and if a passenger did not appear confined to their wheelchair it counted as part of their baggage allowance.
Ms Paywee had to make the choice - to leave the goods for her family behind and take her wheelchair because she could not afford the $700 excess baggage fee.
"This unfair policy robbed her of the long overdue joy as a mother of presenting gifts to her children, an expression of love she had waited 20 years to experience," her friend Michelle Mattys, who has helped Ms Paywee adjust to life in Australia, told news.com.au. "These people have nothing."
Ms Mattys is demanding an apology for Ms Paywee and wants a piece of luggage sent to Liberia free of charge.
Ms Paywee has been confined to a wheelchair for three years after she had a stroke, followed by a bad fall. She can only take a couple of steps unassisted.
Ms Paywee was in tears when she was told the news.
Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes said the airlines' rules were unacceptable.
"If I was taking a wheelchair over for my mate who used one (so I didn't have any use for it) then that would be a reasonable position," he said.
"But if this is the person's mobility aid that would be like saying to me (as I am blind) because you're using your white cane we'll take that into account for your baggage.”
Domestic and international airlines provide an unacceptably low level of service to disabled people, Mr Innes said.
He said the Federal Government needed to act in regulating the airliner. The area has not had enough attention from the Government since Bill Shorten was the parliamentary secretary for disability, he said.
The Human Rights Commission has received a complaint about the incident, and Thai Airways has launched an investigation into all aspects of the matter.
Kenya Airways did not comment beyond clarifying its wheelchair baggage policy.
Should wheelchairs be part of baggage allowance? Leave a comment below
Email Daniel Piotrowski or tweet him @drpiotrowski
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