THIS IS WHAT discrimination looks like
American Airlines has introduced a new weight limit for power wheelchairs on many of its regional flights, effectively barring some disabled passengers from flying to 130 US airports.
The issue was brought to light by John Morris, who wrote about being denied boarding by the airline on his site, Wheelchair Travel.
In October, Mr Morris, an extremely frequent flier, was due to take his first flight since March, a 900-mile American Airlines service from Gainesville, Florida to Dallas, Texas.
According to Mr Morris, he had flown the route, which is operated by a CRJ-700 aircraft, 21 times previously with the carrier.
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However, when the triple amputee went to check in, he was asked for the weight of his power wheelchair.
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When he told staff it was 450lbs, he was told it was over the permitted weight limit of 400lbs and was denied boarding. Previously there had been no weight limit.
The new policy had quietly been introduced in June, and requires mobility aids to weigh no more than 300-400lbs depending on the aircraft model.
After contacting American Airlines, Mr Morris was told that the new policy had been implemented “because AA was damaging too many wheelchairs during loading”.
He said: “I was told that, by refusing to transport my wheelchair on regional jets, my mobility device would be safe from damage and I would be protected. That’s absurd!”
Mr Morris has estimated that the policy change means that disabled passengers with power chairs weighing more than the allowance are now effectively barred from flying to 130 US airports with American Airlines.
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“This is what discrimination looks like,” he said. “Remember this story the next time American Airlines claims that it is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is a lie.”
By refusing to transport Mr Morris and his power wheelchair, AA has committed a “gross violation” of the Air Carrier Access Act, he claims.
An American Airlines spokesperson told The Independent: “We're committed to providing a positive travel experience for all of our customers. We do everything we can to safely accommodate mobility devices across our operation, and we will continue to proactively work with customers traveling with mobility devices.
“Each aircraft type has specific cargo floor weight and door dimension restrictions that are established by the aircraft manufacturer. These restrictions are accounted for in our FAA-approved manuals, which are intended to ensure consistent high levels of safety.”
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The airline said that, in the past, its team has worked with passengers who have wheelchairs or mobility devices that exceed the maximum weight limit “on a case-by-case basis”, for example, by removing batteries, which can weigh up to 50lbs each.
They added: “Our team has begun a review of how we can both ensure high safety standards and protect the integrity of heavy mobility devices consistently across our operation, and our commitment to taking care of all of our customers during their journeys is unchanged.”
