Australian-born wheelchair user claims he was forced off Qatar Airways flight at Melbourne Airport due to disability

Craig Nolan, who lives with spina bifida, was on a flight to Finland when he says he was kicked off by staff on board, forcing him to disembark at Melbourne airport before take off.

The 43-year-old told 9News that, after explaining he would need staff to take him to and from the bathroom in the aisle chair during the flight, he was told that the company didn’t allow disabled passengers to travel alone.

Nolan was initially transferred to an aisle chair before the flight, which is a smaller wheelchair used on planes that can’t be pushed independently.

He alleges he was then told he had to leave the flight.

“It’s absolutely discrimination,” Nolan said.

“There is no justified reason that you should have thrown me off the flight.”

9News has reached out for comment from Qatar Airways.

Nolan lives in Finland with his partner and had come come to Melbourne to attend a family funeral.

He has travelled around the world four times on his own and says he has never had this kind of trouble.

It was his first time travelling with Qatar Airways.

In the hope someone would listen, lifelong friend Bridget Mullahy turned to Twitter to tell Nolan’s story.

“This has really resonated with people that in 2022 this is no longer allowed to happen,” Mullahy told 9News.

“People will actually voice up, stand up and actually say not anymore.”

Nolan said it wasn’t good enough and more needed to be done.

“Everyone has to stand up for their rights,” he said.

“Particularly disabled people, who are not listened to and, if they are, there’s always that pre-perception of what they can and can’t do.”