'I'm disabled, but I'm still a human being': Wheelchair-bound pensioner, 67, is left stranded after Jetstar staff tell him he is 'too heavy' to fly
- A disabled pensioner was left stranded after Jetstar told him he was 'too heavy'
- Ian Smith, 67, had flown with the airline just days earlier, but denied last Friday
- The former police officer was forced to stay in a nearby airport hotel for five days
- Jetstar later apologised but said the airline wasn't able to transfer him safely
A disabled pensioner was left stranded in Melbourne last week after Jetstar staff told him he was 'too heavy' to fly.
Ian Smith had flown with the airline just days earlier, but was stopped by airport officials when he tried to board his return flight to NSW on Friday, 7News reported.
The 67-year-old, who has suffered a stroke, said the airline didn't give him a reason for why he couldn't fly.
Stranded with no where to go, Mr Smith was forced to stay in a small hotel near the airport.
Ian Smith, 67 (pictured), had flown with the airline just days earlier, but when he tried to board his return flight on Friday he was stopped by airport officials
'I'm gutted. I'm totally gutted,' the wheelchair-bound pensioner said.
'They treat me like an idiot and I'm not an idiot. I'm disabled, but I'm still a human being.'
His son, David Smith, said it was especially frustrating for their family because the airline didn't provide a reason for the sudden decision.
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'They couldn't even give us a distinct reason as to why he would be denied boarding,' David said.
The airline later confirmed Mr Smith's weight was the issue and he had been denied passage because he was too heavy for transfer by the airline's wheelchair.
News of the ruling was a surprise to Mr Smith, who claimed he had previously been assisted to his seat by airport staff and never told about a weight restriction.
The airline later confirmed Mr Smith's weight was the issue and he had been denied passage because he was too heavy for transfer by the airline's wheelchair
But according to the airline, the ruling has always being in place and he should never have been allowed to fly in the first place.
In a statement, Jetstar apologised to Mr Smith.
However, the airline said staff who helped lift him into his seat during previous flights had breached company policy.
'Manually lifting passengers requiring wheelchair assistance can create a safety risk for our staff and the passenger being carried,' a Jetstar spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Friday.
Mr Smith was eventually allowed to fly home on a sister Qantas plane on Wednesday, which has a special lifting hoist to assist with the transfer safely.
'We have made arrangements with Qantas on this occasion so that Mr Smith and his carer can fly home,' the spokesperson said.
The 67-year-old former police officer was all smiles when he finally arrived back home, but he has urged the airline to 'please, lift your game!'
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