Mother, newborn baby kicked off flight at Melbourne Airport
A first time mother has told how she felt like a criminal when she was kicked off a flight with her newborn baby and left stranded at Melbourne Airport.
Henny Tekiri was ordered off a Tigerair flight from Melbourne to Perth because staff said her five-day-old baby, Malakai, was too young to fly.
Ms Tekiri told Seven News she was planning to fly the new arrival home with family members and had successfully booked everyone on to the flight, birth dates included.
But once on board the aircraft and ready to take off, staff realised her baby was less than a week old and ordered her off the flight.
"They surrounded us and started yelling like we had done something wrong," Ms Tekiri said.
"We've been treated like criminals."
Tiger has apologised for kicking a new mum & her 5 day old baby off a Perth bound plane #7NewsMelb now pic.twitter.com/Oq8f4u4zHB
— Christie Cooper (@ChristieCooper7) October 29, 2014
After around five hours spent on the airport floor, Tiger agreed to put the group up in a hotel and attempt to find a new flight, but baby Malakai was already running out of nappies, wipes and only had one blanket.
"We've been sitting here on the ground. I haven't been able to feed my baby all day," she said.
International guidelines state that children are fine to travel 48 hours after birth, but that seven days is preferable.
Each airline has its own policy and Tiger states that children less than a week old cannot fly under any circumstances.
Tigerair has accepted full responsibility, blaming the bungle on human error.
The phone operator who took the booking details should have realised the baby was less than seven days old from the birth date and therefore unable to fly.
The company has apologised for the mix up.
Tiger spokeswoman Vanessa Regan said: "We have put them up overnight here in Melbourne Airport.
"We have provided them with meals and we are looking to get them away as soon as possible, free of charge."
Baby Malakai visited the doctor today, but has developed a cold.
He will have to spend a second night in a hotel before hopefully flying home with Virgin tomorrow.
Victoria's afternoon news headlines - October 29
