Gizelle Laurante has slammed airline Qantas for their treatment of her son Jacob Prien, claiming that they refused him from boarding one of their flights because of his autism.
Laurante purchased a ticket for six-year-old Jacob to fly from Darwin to Brisbane yesterday, so that he could spend Easter with his father and brother.
The mother revealed that she did not purchase a ticket for herself because she couldn’t afford it, and inquired upon arrival at the airport as to whether Jacob could fly using the airline’s unaccompanied minors service.
She was shocked and disappointed, however, when the pilot met her at the flight gate and informed her that Jacob could not travel alone on the plane.
Laurante went on to inform the pilot that Jacob had been given a higher than usual dose of his medication to ensure he was calm on the flight, also presenting a doctor’s note, but was still told her son could not fly.
Speaking to local media, Laurante said that she was “heartbroken” when she was told that, unless she purchased a ticket and flew with Jacob, he could not board.
She has since claimed that Qantas discriminated against Jacob on the grounds of his condition, a statement which the company has strongly denied.
In a statement issued since Laurante’s experience went public, they said: “In this case, the crew sought professional medical advice and took the decision not to allow travel until further information about the condition could be gathered to make sure there was no risk to the passenger.”
