Canada's chief disability officer takes Air Canada, airlines to task after wheelchair delay
CBC
Canada's chief disability officer is taking airlines to task for failing to treat wheelchair users with respect after Air Canada forgot last week to bring her wheelchair on a cross-country flight.
Stephanie Cadieux said that when she flew from Toronto to Vancouver on Friday, she discovered that her wheelchair had been left behind.
She posted about the incident on X, formerly Twitter. Her posting received overwhelming support — almost 650 retweets and more than 2,500 likes.
"This was immensely frustrating and dehumanizing — and I was furious," she later said in a post on her LinkedIn account. "The tweet has been widely viewed and shared. Air Canada responded and my chair has been returned to me."
A statement from Air Canada said the chair was returned Saturday morning.
Cadieux said that while her chair was swiftly and safely returned to her by the airline, her "job title as chief accessibility officer should not influence the experience" she has when she flies.
"While I'm glad I've been able to draw attention to this issue, I don't want the continued focus to be on my experience," she said.
"Not surprisingly to me, many of the responses to my tweet were from people sharing that the same thing had happened to them, with no quick resolution."
Cadieux said everyone who uses an airline should get the same level of service, regardless of job title.
Cadieux said she travels a lot for work and over the past year her wheelchair has been damaged in transit several times.
"I've heard and continue to hear countless stories about lost or severely damaged chairs and enough is enough," she said.
Cadieux said airlines do not provide appropriate care and attention to essential equipment like wheelchairs, and leave disabled travellers to fight alone when things go wrong.
"I want everyone to understand that when a person's wheelchair is lost, so is their independence, safety, mobility and dignity," she said. "Airlines have to take responsibility and they have to do better."
Federal Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities Kamal Khera said on social media the situation "is completely unacceptable."
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