theo GuardianMr. Rodney Hodgins (49 years), a hardware salesman from British Columbia (Canada) went to Las Vegas – USA with his wife Ms. Deana Hodgins to celebrate their wedding anniversary in August this year.
He needs to use a motorized wheelchair. But when the plane landed, the flight attendant told the couple there was no time left to get a wheelchair on the plane, Ms. Deanna wrote. Facebook.
An Air Canada plane – Photo: Reuters
When the flight attendant said that Mr. Hodgins would have to leave the plane himself, the couple initially thought she was joking. However, the flight attendant repeated that request.
Mr. Hodgins told The Canadian Press, “I said I can’t. I have to be in a wheelchair. I can’t walk.”
Mr Hodgins was forced to use his upper body strength to cross 12 rows of seats while his wife tried to support his legs.
Dina said in her Facebook post that the incident devastated the couple. She also had back pain and felt embarrassed carrying her husband off the plane without a wheelchair. Air Canada also did not contact him again after the flight as promised.
According to Air Canada, the airline apologized to Mr. Hodgins and his wife after the incident.
The statement also said: “We use a third-party wheelchair assistance service in the city of Las Vegas to provide safe transportation to and from the aircraft. After investigating the cause of the error, this critical service With the shortage, we will consider others.” partner.”
Hodgins said she was later given a CAD 2,000 flight voucher by the airline, but said the compensation “will not ease the frustration” of disabled passengers.
In late October, Canadian Outreach Director Stephanie Cadieux, the officer in charge of disability issues, sued Air Canada for losing her wheelchair.
Ms. Cadieux was scheduled to fly from Toronto to Vancouver, Canada, but Air Canada left her wheelchair in Toronto, preventing her from disembarking. He accused the airline of not treating wheelchair users respectfully.
theo cbcThe wheelchair was returned to Ms Cadieux a day later.
