Shocking video shows American Airlines baggage handlers at Miami International Airport cruelly throwing a passenger’s wheelchair down a long metal ramp, sparking a fierce backlash against America’s largest airline.
In the now-viral video, originally posted to TikTok on Nov. 19, an American Airlines staff member is seen releasing a wheelchair at the top of an unlocked baggage chute while another employee waits at the bottom.
As the mobility device gains speed, the employee on the runway makes no effort to slow his momentum before crashing into a metal door and flying through the air, flipping several times and bouncing repeatedly off the pavement before landing. view.
The employee then casually approaches the wheelchair and places it on a large dolly containing several other mobility devices, as the video shows.
The clip, which has been viewed nearly 3 million times on TikTok alone, included a caption on the original poster that claimed workers were laughing while doing the same thing with two other wheelchairs before she began filming.
A viral video showing American Airlines baggage handlers mistreating a passenger’s wheelchair has garnered nearly 3 million views so far. TikTok/@haez93 The video sparked outrage online, including among people who claim their own mobility devices were damaged during transportation by the airline. TikTok/ @haez93
The footage sparked widespread condemnation online as it spread, including from others who claimed their own mobility devices had been damaged during transit on American Airlines.
The incident even caught the attention of Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who led to to express his displeasure.
“This is totally unacceptable. We will be investigating. That is precisely why we are taking measures to protect passengers who use wheelchairs. Everyone deserves to travel with safety and dignity,” she wrote.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), herself a wheelchair user who has frequently called on airlines to treat passengers’ mobility devices with greater care, He called the incident “infuriating” in a post on X..
“For Americans who depend on wheelchairs to fully live their lives, breaking them is like breaking our legs. In 2023, airlines should no longer treat our mobility devices this way. @AmericanAir must do much better,” she wrote.
Earlier this year, Duckworth introduced the Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act, which aims to require the Department of Transportation to publish detailed annual reports of air travel complaints filed by disabled travelers.
American Airlines, contacted by email on Thursday, said in a statement that its teams are reviewing the video and will take “necessary next steps.”
In a statement, American Airlines called the video “deeply concerning” and said it was investigating the incident. In August, the airline ranked 13th out of 15 airlines for the number of incidents in which mobility devices were damaged, according to figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“We recognize how important it is to support the independence of customers with disabilities by ensuring proper care of mobility devices during their journey with us. This image is deeply concerning and we are gathering more details so we can address them with our team. “We will continue to work hard to improve our handling of assistive devices across our network,” an airline spokesperson said.
The airline went on to say that they “routinely provide training to our Customer Operations teams that focuses on the proper handling of wheelchairs and other mobility devices, and we have engaged these teams to determine areas where we can continue to improve.”
According to U.S. Department of Transportation data from August, American Airlines ranked 13th out of 15 airlines for incidents of mishandled mobility devices, with 226 incidents reported that month alone, or 2.24% of all wheelchairs and scooters transported on board.
Airlines and their codeshare partners are required to report all incidents of mishandled mobility devices in accordance with the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn