Virgin Australia admits wheelchair user's mobility device was wrongly assessed

Virgin Australia has issued a formal apology to prominent disability advocate Shane Hryhorec after airline staff removed him from a flight because they incorrectly assessed his wheelchair equipment. Hryhorec, who founded the disability advocacy organisation Push Mobility, had boarded a Virgin Australia flight from Melbourne to Adelaide when cabin crew told him to leave the aircraft. According to ABC News and The Guardian, airline staff said the attachment motor for his manual wheelchair was too large to fit under his seat and therefore created a safety risk. The device, known as a Batec power add-on, attaches to the front of a manual wheelchair and helps users travel over rough ground and longer distances. Hryhorec repeatedly explained that the motor could be easily separated into smaller parts that could safely fit in overhead lockers or under standard aircraft seats.