Amos Atlantis

A mother, four months pregnant and travelling with a two-year-old toddler, found herself distraught and helpless at Sydney International Airport when she missed her flight and airport staff refused to help her.

Not only that, they also told her off for having overweight baggage, says the expectant mother’s aunt, who was in Singapore when she received the woman’s call for help.

STOMPer Mariam says that no one bothered to help her pregnant niece out even though she was distressed, having to look after her restless toddler and handle her own luggage.

One of the containers she had checked-in was also broken yet no one came forward to offer assistance.

In an email, the upset Mariam says:

“On October 29, my four-month pregnant niece and her two-year-old child were on QF 320 from Singapore to Sydney Australia, where they were to get a connecting domestic flight to Canberra.

“Before her flight, I advised her to get special assistance but she expressed her doubts of getting proper assistance back there.

“Sadly, true to her fears, she was in an agonising and most unacceptable situation upon arrival at Sydney airport.

“Being a typical Singaporean, she had bought some ready-to-cook gravy. The Styrofoam box holding them broke. Fortunately, the gravy packages was still intact.

“The airport staff were not helpful at all. They even chided her and told her that her box was overweight (it was 21kg when weighed at Singapore airport).

“To add to her anxiety, they refused to help her even though she had already missed her connecting flight.

“Desperate and anxious, she called me at 4:40am Singapore time. I was so distressed as she was crying uncontrollably on the phone.

“Her two-year-old son was without milk and started to get restless. Desperate, I called the Singapore police for assistance.

“At around 8:30am, she called to say that she finally got assistance and was waiting to board her flight to Canberra.

“Fortunately, after a long wait, four customs officers happened to walk by. Thankfully, there are still some humans in Australia. These four kind souls packed her stuff and even helped her push her trolley to the domestic airport.

“I would like to find out who they are. Their kind act deserves to be commended.

“My niece had to see her obstetrician, as a result of the ordeal she had to endure.

“I do not wish to fly to Australia through Sydney nor fly with British airways or Qantas.

“This is not the first time we’ve encountered such cold treatment from Sydney airport staff. I am appalled at services provided at Sydney airport.

“Isn’t the airline responsible for handling the baggage? What are the rights of the passengers? The airport staff should at least perform their duty.

“Is the fear for liability so great, that they would not even assist a person in desperate need? I hope the relevant authorities will look into this matter, and view this incident seriously.”