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Wheelchair Jammed, Passenger Stranded: Airline Fails Accessibility
4 Jun
Summary
- A custom power wheelchair was broken after being forced through a too-small cargo door.
- The passenger spent nearly 12 hours at the airport awaiting temporary repairs.
- The airline rerouted the passenger on different planes for the return trip due to door size.
A recent incident involving American Airlines has brought renewed attention to the mishandling of mobility devices by airlines. Jon Krieger's custom power wheelchair was broken on a flight from Detroit to Phoenix when staff forced it through a cargo door deemed too small.
Krieger and his partner, Amie Frei, spent almost 12 hours at the Phoenix airport awaiting temporary repairs for the chair, which is essential for Krieger's mobility due to cerebral palsy. The damage prevented the chair from functioning correctly, impacting their vacation.
Upon their return flight on March 14, the airline identified that Krieger's wheelchair would not fit through the cargo door. This led to the couple being deplaned and rerouted through Charlotte on different aircraft, a situation Frei noted could have been avoided with proactive assessment.
American Airlines acknowledged the incident, stating they were in touch with Krieger to apologize and ensure repairs, also offering a goodwill gesture. Data from the Department of Transportation indicates that in 2025, U.S. airlines mishandled 1.09% of mobility devices, an improvement from the previous year but still a significant concern for accessibility.
