A woman who cannot fly on Qantas without her assistance dog has settled a discrimination case against the national airline.
Rachael Fullerton from Sydney, who lives with multiple disabilities, spent months challenging the decision after her beloved border collie Strike was banned from boarding.
Despite being allowed to fly on Virgin Australia and Rex flights and travel freely on public transport in NSW, Strike did not meet Qantas’ certification requirements.
Ms Fullerton took Qantas to the Federal Court after a failed reconciliation attempt through the Australian Human Rights Commission.
She claimed there was discrimination on the basis of disability and tried to change the airline’s policy, arguing that she was being “treated unfairly.”
“He gave me the confidence to be able to go somewhere on my own,” Ms Fullerton told the newspaper ABC in 2023.
“He warns me about medical problems before they… become a problem. It also does a lot more, such as helping with anxiety.’
And almost a year after Ms Fullerton launched the action, she has settled the case against Qantas.
Rachael Fullerton launched legal action against Qantas after her border collie assistance dog was banned from flying with the airline (pictured by Ms Fullerton and Strike)
Ms Fullerton said Strike makes her independent and she wanted to change the airline’s policy for other people with disabilities (photo Strike the service animal)
Her legal team at Maurice Blackburn announced on Tuesday that Qantas had agreed to change the application and approval process for service animals so that other dogs like Strike can get approval to fly more easily. 9 News reported.
A Qantas spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the airline had attempted to work with Ms Fullerton in 2022 and 2023 to find out details about her situation.
“When Ms Fullerton provided us with additional information in July 2024, we were able to be assured that it was safe to transport Strike in the aircraft cabin,” he said.
“We are pleased to have resolved this matter and look forward to welcoming Strike on board in the future.”
Strike (pictured) has passed the required entry test and is a registered assistance dog – and has since been approved by Qantas to fly with them
The spokesperson added that the airline’s guide dog policy, as well as the minimum standards they require for traveling guide dogs, “have not changed and safety remains Qantas’ top priority.”
Qantas has also updated its ‘find out more’ form, which now provides more guidance to customers on the information and documents that can be included in an application to Qantas.
Ms Fullerton described the ban’s reversal as ‘long overdue’ and said it would make a big difference to people traveling with assistance dogs.
“It is unthinkable that people with disabilities continue to face so many barriers to services, but hopefully this will set a precedent for improved disability standards and better practices from many businesses in the future,” she told Nine News.
“It has been a very long process to get to this point, but the outcome has certainly proven that it has been worth it.”
The case was settled out of court and Qantas has updated its ‘further information form’ to assist with service animal registration applications (pictured stock photo of a Qantas aircraft)
Service animals must be trained to minimum standards by Assistance Dogs International or the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act to fly in the cabin of an aircraft.
Strike did not qualify for either standard, but passed the required entry test and is a registered service dog.
The strike had been authorized by Qantas after the discrimination claim was made but before it was settled out of court.