Heavily pregnant and 'forced to sleep at bus stop'

Aileen Chand with her young boy at a bus stop after she was refused on board a Tiger Airways flight. Photo / Facebook

A pregnant mother was forced to sleep at a bus stop with her "hungry" 2-year-old son after Tiger Airways stopped her boarding a plane home, her family has claimed.

Aileen Chand, 30, from Melbourne, was coming home from a weekend away when she tried to board flight TT279 at Sydney Airport on Sunday.

But flight staff said she could not board the plane because she had now entered the 35th week of her pregnancy.

Ms Chand had flown to Sydney on a Tigerair flight just two days prior, when she was in her 34th week.
She produced a doctor's certificate but her husband, Sharneet Chand, said staff at Sydney Airport on Sunday would not allow her to board.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Mr Chand said the airline's staff told them to go and get another certificate in Sydney for a flight the next day.

It was late at night and, exhausted and out of money, Mr Chand said he asked the staff about accommodation.

He claimed he was told: "[Your] accommodation is not our problem we can only put you on another flight in the morning. So here I [am]... sleeping at a bus stop with my 34 week pregnant wife and a hungry 2 year old son. [I am] very appalled by the negligence of your Duty of Care for your customers. Especially a pregnant woman and a two-year-old kid."

Tigerair spokeswoman Vanessa Regan told Daily Mail Australia pregnant women are not permitted to fly on the airline from the beginning of the 35th week onwards.

"The safety, comfort and wellbeing of our customers is Tigerair Australia's top priority and we never compromise on our safety standards,' Ms Regan said.

"Our pregnancy policy states... medical certification is required for Tigerair Australia customers who are flying between 30 and 34 weeks pregnant and that flying is not permitted from the beginning of the 35th week.

"All airline policies are different which is why it is important to check the relevant detail on the website."

Daily Mail Australia has been told the company is planning to refund the Chand family's travel expenses in full.

- Daily Mail