Liistro v Cathay Pacific Airways Limited

In *Liistro v Cathay Pacific Airways Limited*, the Federal Court of Australia considered a dispute between Mr Liistro and Cathay Pacific Airways Limited. Mr Liistro alleged that Cathay Pacific had breached its obligations under the *Disability Discrimination Act 1992* (Cth) by failing to provide him with adequate assistance when he sought to travel with his guide dog.

The primary legal issue before the Court was whether Cathay Pacific had unlawfully discriminated against Mr Liistro on the ground of his disability, contrary to section 15 of the *Disability Discrimination Act*. This required the Court to determine whether the airline's actions constituted a failure to make reasonable adjustments for Mr Liistro's disability, thereby imposing unjustifiable hardship on him.

Judge Jones found that Cathay Pacific had failed to make reasonable adjustments for Mr Liistro's disability. The Court reasoned that the airline's policies and practices regarding the carriage of guide dogs were not sufficiently flexible and did not adequately account for the specific needs of passengers travelling with such animals. The Court emphasised the importance of a proactive approach to accommodating disability and rejected the airline's submission that its actions were not discriminatory. The Court ordered that Cathay Pacific pay Mr Liistro damages for the discrimination he suffered.