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Disabled Teen's Flight Cancelled Over Wheelchair Weight Restrictions
10 Nov
Summary
- 14-year-old Georgia Nataraj's wheelchair is too heavy for airline
- Family forced to drive 8 hours to catch flight from larger airport
- Airline's wheelchair accessibility policies frustrate family
In November 2025, 14-year-old Georgia Nataraj's family was forced to cancel their planned trip to Mexico after the airline refused to allow her 300-lb wheelchair on the flight. Georgia, who was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at 18 months old, uses a specialized wheelchair with features designed to ease tension in her muscles and spine.
The family had booked their tickets with WestJet, an airline they had flown with before without issue. However, just weeks before their trip, the airline informed them that Georgia's wheelchair was too heavy to be transported safely. The family was left scrambling to find alternative travel arrangements, ultimately deciding to drive 8 hours to Calgary to catch a larger WestJet plane that could accommodate the wheelchair.
Georgia's father, Richard Nataraj, expressed frustration with the airline's policies, stating that "disabilities come in different sizes and wheelchair accessibility policies that limit people's freedoms should be reviewed." The family hopes their story will open a wider conversation about accessibility on airlines and prompt Transport Canada to investigate the issue.
