ACT paralympian Christine Wolf's return home yesterday was soured when staff on her flight from Sydney refused to allow the gold medallist to take her prosthetic legs as carry-on luggage.
Wolf whose left leg is amputated above the knee was already on the plane from Sydney to Canberra when the Qantas attendant refused to allow her to bring the valuable prosthetics into the cabin.
Australian coach Iryna Dvoskina, who travelled back to Canberra with Ms Wolf yesterday, said she would make a formal complaint.
''[The prosthetics] are just so sensitive, we never check it into luggage, we take it on the plane all the time and now, on our last flight after two months away and we are just very happy to be home, it was just so unhelpful and unfriendly,'' Ms Dvoskina said.
''I can't believe that it would happen.
''It was really disappointing, there were people behind walking behind us that were congratulating us.''
Ms Wolf won a gold medal in the D42 long jump in Beijing and a bronze in the T42 100m sprint.
''I'm really happy about the experience I had, the medals are just a bonus really, it was just an amazing experience,'' she said. ''The stadium was so full every time, even in the mornings.
''It's something that no one can take from you, I'll remember that for the rest of my life.''
The 28-year-old now plans to spend two weeks at home in Canberra with her parents, who have flown over from Germany, before visiting her sister in Zambia.
One of the ACT paralympians who received one of the biggest crowds at Canberra Airport yesterday was Australian team veteran Deahnne McIntyre, who finished fourth in the women's 82.50kg plus powerlifting.
Ms McIntyre has been to four paralympics and said Beijing was now the benchmark.
''It was by far the best,'' she said. ''Sydney was special because it was home, but over there, we were treated like royalty ... there was nothing you could fault about the games at all.''
Australia's largest-ever overseas team flew into Sydney yesterday morning, the kit bag full with 79 medals, including 23 gold.
Hundreds of family and friends cheered the paralympians as they made their way through the airport's international terminal.
Australia finished fifth on the overall medal tally, just 15 medals short of its 1000th paralympic medal.
At the end of 11 days of competition, Australia finished with 23 gold, 29 silver and 27 bronze.
The ACT's triple gold medallists, Heath Francis and Evan O'Hanlon, are expected to arrive back in Canberra this week.