After AirAsia, Jetstar thrust into spotlight for crawling passenger

After AirAsia, Jetstar is next to be thrust in the spotlight after a passenger from Queensland decided to crawl down the aisle of the plane. This came about as the passenger claimed that the airline asked her to pay for an aisle chair, which is a special transfer wheelchair, to disembark – something she’s never had to do in the past.

In a Facebook post on Monday, passenger Natalie Curtis said the incident was "definitely the most humiliating experience I have had travelling". The incident took place when Curtis was on a flight from Singapore to Bangkok. The news has also been picked up by Australian media.

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A Jetstar spokesperson also told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that the incident was a result of a miscommunication that resulted in a delay of an aisle seat being available at the arrival gate, and that the chair was not withheld due to request for payment. The spokesperson added that the company is looking into the matter with urgency as  it is “committed to providing a safe and comfortable travel experience for all customers - including those requiring specific assistance.”

Curtis has since also been offered a refund, along with additional compensation.

Last month, AirAsia found itself in a similar situation and had to apologise for making a paraplegic passenger crawl across the cabin floor. The passenger reportedly had to pay SG$40 for a wheelchair even though the exit was three metres away. The flight was from Jakarta to Singapore.

While it is a norm for airline employees to adhere to strict protocol, it is safe to say that certain incidents can be better resolved if employees had autonomy to make a decisions based on situations in real time.

A 2020 study by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services sponsored by ThoughtSpot titled "The New Decision Makers: Equipping Frontline Workers For Success" found organisations will be more successful when frontline workers are empowered to make important decisions in that moment. This was a survey of 464 business executives from 16 industry sectors in Asia Pacific, North America and Europe.

In reality, however, few are equipping their workers with the resources to do so. Only one-fifth of organisations say they currently have a truly empowered and digitally equipped workforce while 86% agree their frontline workers need better technology and more insight to be able to make good decisions at the moment.

According to the study, organisations are unable to realise the benefits of a fully empowered workforce without overcoming the barriers influencing the decision-making process.