This was because the aircraft was refuelling.
In a video posted to TikTok, Mitchell claims he had taken this kind of photo five or six times with different carriers and crew never had an issue. The TikTok video has since been deleted by the family.
“As I took the photo I heard someone yell out ‘idiot’ behind me,” he said. Turning around, Mitchell said he “stormed over” to the woman and asked her to repeat herself. Instead, she yelled that he could not use his phone on the tarmac. Determined to report her, he asked for her name.
“She went off at me, she absolutely blasted me,” Mitchell claimed, adding that he “blasted her back” and yelled about how he hadn’t been told he couldn’t use his phone.
“There was no need to call me an idiot, that was my whole thing, in front of my family,” he said in the video, adding that she could have asked him to get off his phone. The argument escalated, resulting in the woman asking Mitchell to step back as he had “almost assaulted her” and she would call the police.
Mitchell said he understood her opinion but said the complete lack of signs would have made it impossible for a hearing-impaired traveller to heed the instructions.
As a self-described “big guy”, Mitchell knew he may have been intimidating during the argument, but pushed back on her claim of near assault.
Eventually, Mitchell claims he was told he couldn’t board the plane. At this point, he began to panic, as his money, passport and boarding pass were with his wife.
Upon reflection, Mitchell said the Jetstar employee was obviously having a bad day and he also overreacted but still felt Jetstar handled the situation unprofessionally. His family was also given no information about why he wasn’t boarding the flight and they deserved an apology.
“The way they treated Pauline and the kids and not allowing me to communicate with them what was going on, was completely unacceptable,” he said.
Mitchell revealed he was allowed on to the flight “after cooler heads prevailed” with minutes to go.
Jetstar told news.com.au the incident was under investigation, and that both customers and employees had the right to “feel respected”. The airline additionally said the tarmac was “an operational space” so phones are not allowed to be used when crossing the tarmac.
Many people responded online to Mitchell’s emotional account but most appeared to side with Jetstar, as the phone rule was “common knowledge” and Mitchell overreacted.
Some appeared sympathetic to the issue while others sided with Jetstar, claiming they were simply enforcing rules.
“It’s a known rule that you can’t do that,” one person wrote, adding that someone who flies so often should know this.
“It clearly states not to take photos on the tarmac before boarding on the speaker for boarding,” another commented, adding “you made the mistake mate”.
“Just because you didn’t get caught last time doesn’t mean it’s right,” one person wrote in response to Mitchell’s comment that he’s used his phone before.
One person said deaf or hearing-impaired travellers typically alert crew before flying, so they can deliver any PA announcements in person.
This story was originally published on April 4, 2024.
