I am so sorry that you had to go through this and am so glad that you stood your ground. The last time that I flew with American Airlines, it was a complete nightmare for me and was so traumatizing that I don't even want to write about it. In the end, American offered me two free travel vouchers which of course I did not use. I will never, ever travel with American again. Thank you for being willing to recount your ordeal and offering some great reminders and advice for future travel!
my husband is a quadriplegic and uses a power wheelchair . It is the exception to the rule that the wheelchair is brought to the jetway. So we have been doing exactly what you did - not leaving until the wheelchair is properly brought to the jetway and it is in good working order.
While this is uncomfortable for all involved it is important that we all continue to do assert our rights.
The times in which the wheelchair has been brought to the jetway are few and that miracle really depend on the airport you are landing in. It also depends on whether the pilot has called ahead to have the wheelchair brought to the jetway.
In these days of pandemic miss behavior and the airline’s strict responses to that errant behavior, it is very important that people keep calm and cool while asserting their rights. This is a hard thing to do.
So do all you can before leaving your departure airport - tag it and ask the pilot to call ahead to ask that the wheelchair be brought to the jetway so the flight staff can leave on time.
You're right, there's no need to get worked up in the moment — just sit calmly, state your intention, and force the airline to do what they should have done from the start. While it's preferable to have the flight and cabin crew on your side, that won't always happen — I was grateful to have at least one advocate this time around.
Hi Lynn, The regulation is § 382.125 (c), which reads: "You must provide for the checking and timely return of passengers' wheelchairs, other mobility aids, and other assistive devices as close as possible to the door of the aircraft, so that passengers may use their own equipment to the extent possible"
This just happened to me and I wish I’d known what to do! I hate American!!!
We flew from DCA to Miami and on to Freeport, Bahamas. Thinking there wouldn’t be enough time in Miami, my husband checked my Falcon power chair thru to Freeport. Carried and it wasn’t there. Theyde lost it! ( turned out it was left in Miami)
Waited on the plane until it became apparent no chair then got in a piece of junk wheelchair of theirs and was escorted to Customs area. Waited 2hours!! For the woman responsible to track my chair to get around to us. Very hot there, me in awful wheelchair. Our scheduled taxi left.
Finally no answers yet as to where my chair was, I insisted they let me take the wheelchair until I got mine back at the VRBO we were going to. Wede been up since 3:30 and they simply wore us out!
Their wheelchair was a disgrace—rims with no rubber inside, broken footpad, impossible to wheel myself.
Happily for me we got ours back but I already had been thru the mill.
Going home they made us go to Customs without it—we picked it up with the luggage. Is that true that it HAS to go to luggage instead of to me when I got off ?
Either way there wasn’t a normal jetbridge at either DCA, Miami or Freeport. All of them expected us to deplane down a narrow ramp thing to the tarmac and in the case of Miami, a shuttle bus.
NOT impressed!!!
I never received an apology or compensation from American for the way they handled this. And we were first class, AAdvantage members!!
Hi Kate, The U.S. CBP has said repeatedly that there is no barrier to returning a passenger's wheelchair at the door of the aircraft on an international arrival. The wheelchair will still pass through customs with you. The airline has lied if they told you it had to be sent to baggage claim. That is not true at any airport in the United States or, in my experience, the world.
Did the airline repair your damaged wheelchair?
Even if I have a tight connection, I still require the wheelchair to be returned to me — otherwise it may be lost or damaged as you experienced.
Thank you for this very important information thru your story. So glad your trip ended better than it was looking like. I'm so disappointed in AA which is my go to airline carrier. Hopefully no one else has this problem going forward.
Deirdre, I know this article has been shared widely within American Airlines, and I hope it will inspire them to prioritize compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act.
It’s been over ten years since my husband (a quad) and I have traveled by airplane. Instead, when we vacation we drive…and drive…and drive. So many “what if’s” to flying… Today’s article helped prepare us for that eventuality. Thank you being an advocate, teacher, and resource. I just upgraded my subscription to paid.
Thank you very much for the advice about the wheelchair being brought to the plane stuff and frankly, all the info you share! Can’t do the paid newsletter, but I appreciate your free version much! I’m not sure I would ever have all your courage to travel so, but I live vicariously a bit through your tales! Thanks!
Hiding an AirPod in my wheelchair is one of the best decisions I've ever made, and at least answers the question of whether my wheelchair arrived with me.
I just had an issue in Newark trying to board a flight. I was in my motorized wheelchair and the gate agent said I couldn’t board without someone walking with me. She tried to make me wait and let everyone else bypass me. I eventually just went, but everyone was still running into me while I disassembled my chair by the door and then I had to stand and wait while everyone else put their luggage up. I felt like falling just to get her in trouble.
Way to go! Just because you are in a wheelchair,doesn’t make you and idiot.
Stick to you guns!
I to have been told I would have to pick up my own electric wheelchair, I have also been told it was my fault for not marking my chair properly to not calling before landing to notify ground crew I would need my chair at docking?. I purposely get off last so others who must rush to another plane,cigarette,drink etc. I have also been told I was faking,even told I was fat and lazy and why don’t you walk more…list goes on and on. I did not ask to be in a wheelchair,but at 70 yrs. young I enjoy traveling and try not to let uneducated people spoil my travels.
One message I am constantly sharing with airline teams is that the default should be to return a gate-checked wheelchair. Why would you prefer to receive your power wheelchair at baggage claim? That makes no sense, and it ends up costing airlines more in the assistance staff budget to push you there. Independence should always be prioritized. So glad to hear that you keep a good attitude — keep traveling!
I had the same experience with American Airlines in Texas. The staff argued and would not listen to me. They forcefully dragged me off the plane. My leg slipped between the plane and the jetway and they kept tugging and pulling my body and broke my knee as I was screaming they were hurting me. When they heard the pop they dropped me and took off leaving me to scream for help on the jetway. I never received an appology or compensation. There was not a single attorney who would take the case. Their excuse, I was already living with disability so what difference does a broken knee impair my life. It still is painfull fifteen years later. The laws protecting our civil rights are in place but we have no enforcement to support us.
Christie, I am appalled by your experience and so sad to hear about your injuries. I know quite a few attorneys who would take that case if it had happened today, so the legal community is much better prepared to take personal injury cases on now. I agree that enforcement is still what is missing and, despite all the good work the USDOT is doing from the regulatory side, it is still crickets with enforcement.
I experienced a similar experience at DFW recently. They substitute extremely unsafe and inaccessible carts for wheelchair service between gates. Complaints to American Airlines who contract for this shoddy and dangerous and painful "service" have been ignored. This has been going on at dfw since before the pandemic. The experience i had most recently and my complaints were met with obstacles (send us an email) and evasive techniques. Can you help? Can i contact you? Thank you for your articles and your advocacy.
Hi Joan, Please send me an email at mailbag@wheelchairtravel.org. If you travel with your own wheelchair, I recommend you use that during your connections if you are able. I agree they are not doing enough to respond to passenger concerns around accessibility — customer service and accessibility are two different departments and they operate as silos.
I have been guilty of very emotional responses in the past especially when there is damage to the chair. I think the best thing I have learned from our travels is to pack a whole lot of rest and patience!
I am so sorry that you had to go through this and am so glad that you stood your ground. The last time that I flew with American Airlines, it was a complete nightmare for me and was so traumatizing that I don't even want to write about it. In the end, American offered me two free travel vouchers which of course I did not use. I will never, ever travel with American again. Thank you for being willing to recount your ordeal and offering some great reminders and advice for future travel!
Hi Leah, I'm sad to hear about your negative experience with AA. Hopefully your next flight will go smoothly, no matter which airline you fly!
my husband is a quadriplegic and uses a power wheelchair . It is the exception to the rule that the wheelchair is brought to the jetway. So we have been doing exactly what you did - not leaving until the wheelchair is properly brought to the jetway and it is in good working order.
While this is uncomfortable for all involved it is important that we all continue to do assert our rights.
The times in which the wheelchair has been brought to the jetway are few and that miracle really depend on the airport you are landing in. It also depends on whether the pilot has called ahead to have the wheelchair brought to the jetway.
In these days of pandemic miss behavior and the airline’s strict responses to that errant behavior, it is very important that people keep calm and cool while asserting their rights. This is a hard thing to do.
So do all you can before leaving your departure airport - tag it and ask the pilot to call ahead to ask that the wheelchair be brought to the jetway so the flight staff can leave on time.
Thanks
You're right, there's no need to get worked up in the moment — just sit calmly, state your intention, and force the airline to do what they should have done from the start. While it's preferable to have the flight and cabin crew on your side, that won't always happen — I was grateful to have at least one advocate this time around.
Where is it in the ACAA that says the wheelchair needs to go to the gate? I want to run this off and have it when we travel.
Hi Lynn, The regulation is § 382.125 (c), which reads: "You must provide for the checking and timely return of passengers' wheelchairs, other mobility aids, and other assistive devices as close as possible to the door of the aircraft, so that passengers may use their own equipment to the extent possible"
Thanks. I would like to run this off to have with us when we travel. Where would I find the official document?
Here is the full text of the ACAA: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-II/subchapter-D/part-382
This just happened to me and I wish I’d known what to do! I hate American!!!
We flew from DCA to Miami and on to Freeport, Bahamas. Thinking there wouldn’t be enough time in Miami, my husband checked my Falcon power chair thru to Freeport. Carried and it wasn’t there. Theyde lost it! ( turned out it was left in Miami)
Waited on the plane until it became apparent no chair then got in a piece of junk wheelchair of theirs and was escorted to Customs area. Waited 2hours!! For the woman responsible to track my chair to get around to us. Very hot there, me in awful wheelchair. Our scheduled taxi left.
Finally no answers yet as to where my chair was, I insisted they let me take the wheelchair until I got mine back at the VRBO we were going to. Wede been up since 3:30 and they simply wore us out!
Their wheelchair was a disgrace—rims with no rubber inside, broken footpad, impossible to wheel myself.
Happily for me we got ours back but I already had been thru the mill.
Going home they made us go to Customs without it—we picked it up with the luggage. Is that true that it HAS to go to luggage instead of to me when I got off ?
Either way there wasn’t a normal jetbridge at either DCA, Miami or Freeport. All of them expected us to deplane down a narrow ramp thing to the tarmac and in the case of Miami, a shuttle bus.
NOT impressed!!!
I never received an apology or compensation from American for the way they handled this. And we were first class, AAdvantage members!!
Hi Kate, The U.S. CBP has said repeatedly that there is no barrier to returning a passenger's wheelchair at the door of the aircraft on an international arrival. The wheelchair will still pass through customs with you. The airline has lied if they told you it had to be sent to baggage claim. That is not true at any airport in the United States or, in my experience, the world.
Did the airline repair your damaged wheelchair?
Even if I have a tight connection, I still require the wheelchair to be returned to me — otherwise it may be lost or damaged as you experienced.
Thank you for this very important information thru your story. So glad your trip ended better than it was looking like. I'm so disappointed in AA which is my go to airline carrier. Hopefully no one else has this problem going forward.
Deirdre, I know this article has been shared widely within American Airlines, and I hope it will inspire them to prioritize compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act.
Wow! Good for you!
Thank you for sharing your story. Knowledge is power. Never be embarrassed for demanding what you need.
It’s been over ten years since my husband (a quad) and I have traveled by airplane. Instead, when we vacation we drive…and drive…and drive. So many “what if’s” to flying… Today’s article helped prepare us for that eventuality. Thank you being an advocate, teacher, and resource. I just upgraded my subscription to paid.
Thank you for your readership and support, Melintha!
Thank you very much for the advice about the wheelchair being brought to the plane stuff and frankly, all the info you share! Can’t do the paid newsletter, but I appreciate your free version much! I’m not sure I would ever have all your courage to travel so, but I live vicariously a bit through your tales! Thanks!
Thank you for your readership! Happy to have you as part of the community and I hope your next vacation is amazing!
Excellent article, and good for you, John! This was such helpful information! Thank you.
I had the same issue with American in Orlando, Fl. I had an issue in Newark, where they lost my chair in the airport. I had an air pod to locate it.
Hiding an AirPod in my wheelchair is one of the best decisions I've ever made, and at least answers the question of whether my wheelchair arrived with me.
I just had an issue in Newark trying to board a flight. I was in my motorized wheelchair and the gate agent said I couldn’t board without someone walking with me. She tried to make me wait and let everyone else bypass me. I eventually just went, but everyone was still running into me while I disassembled my chair by the door and then I had to stand and wait while everyone else put their luggage up. I felt like falling just to get her in trouble.
It's frustrating to hear about your denial of pre boarding — carriers do not take this seriously at all, and an on-time departure will always trump your civil rights. I hope you file a complaint with the Department of Transportation: https://wheelchairtravel.org/air-travel/report-air-carrier-access-act-violations/
Way to go! Just because you are in a wheelchair,doesn’t make you and idiot.
Stick to you guns!
I to have been told I would have to pick up my own electric wheelchair, I have also been told it was my fault for not marking my chair properly to not calling before landing to notify ground crew I would need my chair at docking?. I purposely get off last so others who must rush to another plane,cigarette,drink etc. I have also been told I was faking,even told I was fat and lazy and why don’t you walk more…list goes on and on. I did not ask to be in a wheelchair,but at 70 yrs. young I enjoy traveling and try not to let uneducated people spoil my travels.
One message I am constantly sharing with airline teams is that the default should be to return a gate-checked wheelchair. Why would you prefer to receive your power wheelchair at baggage claim? That makes no sense, and it ends up costing airlines more in the assistance staff budget to push you there. Independence should always be prioritized. So glad to hear that you keep a good attitude — keep traveling!
I had the same experience with American Airlines in Texas. The staff argued and would not listen to me. They forcefully dragged me off the plane. My leg slipped between the plane and the jetway and they kept tugging and pulling my body and broke my knee as I was screaming they were hurting me. When they heard the pop they dropped me and took off leaving me to scream for help on the jetway. I never received an appology or compensation. There was not a single attorney who would take the case. Their excuse, I was already living with disability so what difference does a broken knee impair my life. It still is painfull fifteen years later. The laws protecting our civil rights are in place but we have no enforcement to support us.
Christie, I am appalled by your experience and so sad to hear about your injuries. I know quite a few attorneys who would take that case if it had happened today, so the legal community is much better prepared to take personal injury cases on now. I agree that enforcement is still what is missing and, despite all the good work the USDOT is doing from the regulatory side, it is still crickets with enforcement.
Dear John,
I experienced a similar experience at DFW recently. They substitute extremely unsafe and inaccessible carts for wheelchair service between gates. Complaints to American Airlines who contract for this shoddy and dangerous and painful "service" have been ignored. This has been going on at dfw since before the pandemic. The experience i had most recently and my complaints were met with obstacles (send us an email) and evasive techniques. Can you help? Can i contact you? Thank you for your articles and your advocacy.
Joan
Hi Joan, Please send me an email at mailbag@wheelchairtravel.org. If you travel with your own wheelchair, I recommend you use that during your connections if you are able. I agree they are not doing enough to respond to passenger concerns around accessibility — customer service and accessibility are two different departments and they operate as silos.
I have been guilty of very emotional responses in the past especially when there is damage to the chair. I think the best thing I have learned from our travels is to pack a whole lot of rest and patience!