13/06/2026
✈️ Travelling with Disability: A Positive Experience Worth Sharing
Recently, Macy and I travelled interstate with Virgin Australia, and I wanted to share our experience because it taught me an important lesson about asking for support.
When booking Macy’s ticket, I selected the special assistance option. While Macy doesn’t require a wheelchair to get to the terminal gate, she does require additional supports that many passengers don’t, such as priority boarding so she has plenty of time to get to and settle into her allocated seat without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
At check-in, I explained to the Virgin Australia staff member that although Macy didn’t need wheelchair assistance, she has an intellectual impairment and, in the event of an emergency where something happened to me, she would require the one-to-one support of a crew member to help keep her safe.
The staff member was incredibly helpful and understanding. She added several additional support codes to Macy’s booking to identify needs beyond physical assistance. This included noting that Macy is a nervous flyer, which resulted in the seat next to her being blocked out so we could have the entire row to ourselves. This provided extra comfort, space and reassurance for Macy throughout the flight.
After check-in, we proceeded through the special assistance security lanes, where staff were accommodating and mindful of the overwhelm Macy can experience in busy environments. We were invited to board early through priority boarding and, having the whole row available to us, Macy was able to relax comfortably without worrying about passengers seated beside her.
Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and I am sharing it because I know many parents and carers of children with disability will relate to this.
So often, we avoid discussing the full extent of our child’s support needs because we worry that our requests might seem like too much, or we don’t want to make a fuss. We simply carry the load ourselves, as we so often do.
What this experience showed me, however, is that many businesses are genuinely working towards becoming more inclusive and accommodating. Sometimes, the support we need is available — we just need to ask.
So next time you’re travelling or accessing a service with your loved one, consider having that conversation about the supports or adjustments that would make the experience easier. You may be pleasantly surprised by what can be offered to help 💟
