An elderly Victorian woman is suing Malaysia Airlines for $250,000 after she broke her leg on a flight when management allegedly refused to provide her with a wheelchair.

Vineetha Warnakulasuriya, 72, was initially injured when she fell on a travelator at the Melbourne Airport on April 4.

Vineetha Warnakulasuriya broke her leg on a Malaysia Airlines plane. Credit:Wayne Taylor

Melbourne paramedics cleared the Cranbourne woman to board her flight to Sri Lanka that day and Malaysia Airlines staff promised wheelchair assistance for the rest of her journey, her lawyers claimed in the Brisbane District Court.

Mrs Warnakulasuriya was wheeled to the plane at Tullamarine and assisted by flight attendants during a transit stop in Kuala Lumpur.