"At the heart of Darongkamas's dispute with Qantas is whether her scooter is a mobility aid, as she argues, or a personal electronic device, as the airline insisted during a six-month long complaints process. Qantas says it aims to be the airline of choice for customers with specific needs, but Darongkamas says Qantas is the only carrier that hasn't let her fly with her Topmate ES33 scooter and its 281Wh lithium battery."
"Many airlines have tightened their restrictions on flying with lithium-ion batteries, often found in mobility devices, to try to avoid any possibility of a fire breaking out onboard. Qantas's policy says mobility aids are permitted with lithium batteries of up to 300Wh, as long as the batteries can be removed from the devices and taken into the cabin, which Darongkamas says she always does. Darongkamas, who is unable to walk for long due to chronic sesamoiditis, argues it shouldn't be up to Qantas to decide."
Dr Jurai Darongkamas travelled internationally with her Topmate ES33 mobility scooter and was allowed on a Thai Airways flight but barred from a connecting Qantas service. The core dispute centers on whether her scooter is a mobility aid or a personal electronic device. The scooter uses a 281Wh lithium battery that she says she removes and carries into the cabin. Qantas policy permits mobility-aid batteries up to 300Wh if removable. Darongkamas has chronic sesamoiditis and limited walking ability and seeks an apology and policy clarity after a six-month complaints process that left her feeling powerless.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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