Australian teenager Bella Tipping started a petition to get airlines to modify their planes to accommodate wheelchairs after seeing a quadriplegic man forced to transfer into a airplane seat. The petition caught the attention of Virgin Airlines, which asked her to become a member of their quality assurance team. Read the rest of the story at:
http://www.dailyliberal.com.au/story/5191597/bella-tippings-social-justice-work-wins-her-young-citizen-award/

Editor’s note: this is all well and good, and I’m glad that an airline is listening to somebody regarding this issue, but it does raise the question of why they didn’t ask an actual quadriplegic (or a blind person, or a person with autism, etc.) to join their quality assurance team as well. I don’t wish to discount Bella’s fine advocacy work, but there’s much more than just the dignity of disabled people at stake here. Dignity is the least of my worries; it’s our safety (I notice the safety of the passengers and crew were cited, but not the safety of the disabled man), and comfort, and ability to travel with as little assistance as possible that we’re fighting for. Can we get the airlines to listen directly to disabled people, please?