Travel
A TikTok filmed at the Miami airport shows a passenger’s wheelchair spilling onto the pavement.
A video showing baggage handlers sending a passenger’s wheelchair tumbling to the tarmac at Miami International Airport has racked up millions of social media views since Sunday, prompting sharp criticism from a top federal official and outrage from advocates for travelers with disabilities.
In the clip, which was first posted to TikTok, an American Airlines employee pushes the chair down a baggage chute on its wheels. It races down the track, slams into a gate and flips over several times before landing on the ground upside down.
Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg criticized the handling of the wheelchair, calling it “totally unacceptable” in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. He also wrote the department will investigate the incident.
“What we can see is more training is needed and different ways of bringing someone’s wheelchair down to the tarmac for loading is needed,” said Michele Erwin, founder of the advocacy group All Wheels Up. “The airlines are making efforts, but more work needs to be done.”
The video captures a single incident, though the TikTok user who posted it said she witnessed repeat offenses before she decided to record the episode. More than 2.6 million people have viewed the post.
“Dang, after i saw them do this and laugh with the first two wheelchairs i had to get it on film,” wrote the TikTok user, who uses the handle @haez93.
It is unclear what kind of damage the wheelchair sustained.
American Airlines told The Washington Post in an email it is reviewing the footage. The airline also stressed its commitment to passengers with disabilities, saying it routinely trains its customer operations teams on handling wheelchairs.
The carrier said it is installing movers and lifts at airports that typically process a high volume of mobility devices. The new system will provide greater protection to passengers’ devices as well as lower the risk of injury for its employees.
“We recognize how important it is to support the independence of customers with disabilities by ensuring the proper care of mobility devices throughout their journey with us,” the airline said in a statement. “This visual is deeply concerning and we are gathering more details so that we can address them with our team.”
When asked if its ground staff is supposed to use the chute to transport wheelchairs, American Airlines clarified the name of the structure attached to the jet bridge stairs — it’s a “baggage chute” — but not its standard usage.
Erwin said she has never seen a wheelchair barrel down the chute.
According to the Transportation Department, more than one in every 100 wheelchairs and scooters transported in cargo on domestic flights is damaged, delayed or lost. In 2022, U.S. airlines reported 11,389 mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, up from 7,239 the previous year. Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways had the highest percentage of mishandled devices, followed by American Airlines.
The Miami airport incident is one of several recent events that have caught the attention of the Transportation Department. In 2021, the agency investigated the case of Engracia Figueroa, the disability rights activist who died months after United Airlines damaged her $30,000 wheelchair during the loading process, according to a statement from disability rights organization Hand in Hand. A lawsuit filed on her behalf said she struggled to support her body in the temporary replacement chair provided by the airline. She never fully recovered from the pressure sore.
Disability rights advocates have been pushing the DOT to expand its accessibility policies and improve the airline industry’s accountability when wheelchairs are mishandled. In addition to damaged equipment, travelers with extra needs have faced extended wait times for check-in assistance, inadequate help during boarding and delays in retrieving their wheelchairs upon arrival.
A few industry players are actively seeking solutions that will take the stress and dread out of flying with a wheelchair. The Transportation Department is considering a rule that would allow passengers to remain in their wheelchairs during flights.
The Federal Aviation Administration is studying the feasibility and safety of accommodating wheelchairs on planes. Delta has been testing a prototype that would allow wheelchair users to secure their equipment on the plane, ultimately turning their wheelchair into an airplane seat. Delta said the product, which earned an innovation award from the Airline Passenger Experience Association in May, is undergoing a certification process.
In July, Buttigieg urged Congress to pass legislation allowing passengers with disabilities to pursue legal action against airlines that disregard their rights. The Transportation Department is also considering a rule that would deem any mishandling of a wheelchair an automatic violation of Air Carrier Access Act regulations.
“What we always tell the community is to advocate for yourself,” Erwin said.
The recent incident appears to violate several sections of the Airline Passengers With Disabilities Bill of Rights. Among them: “The Right to Be Treated with Dignity and Respect” and “The Right to Travel with an Assistive Device or Service Animal.”
“I don’t know if you can teach empathy, but I think [the video] is raising awareness that this isn’t just somebody’s luggage. This is someone’s device for mobility,” Erwin said.