Passengers with disabilities say they want to remain in wheelchairs on flights
CBC
When James Glasbergen boarded an Air Transat flight departing from Toronto to London on June 30, he was excited to begin his journey to see the Rolling Stones play live in Europe.
What the 46-year-old quadriplegic man from Kitchener, Ont., wasn't looking forward to was getting out of his custom-fitted electric wheelchair and into an airplane seat, as required by federal law.
His concerns turned out to be warranted after airline staff helping to transfer Glasbergen to his seat dropped him in the aisle, setting off a more than three-minute struggle to lift the 200-plus-pound man from the floor and set him upright.
"There wasn't enough room for them to get me into the seat, and they dropped me," said Glasbergen, a former travel agent who is paralyzed from the chest down due to injuries suffered during a car accident in 1992.
"All of a sudden, my body hit the floor with a big thud."
A video Glasbergen posted to YouTube captured the moments just after he fell. It shows him wedged between the seat and a wheelchair while two men struggle to lift him over an armrest and into a seat.
After two failed attempts, a flight attendant and another passenger step in to help and the group successfully seats him.
"It's gone beyond frustration and shock. Now, I'm just angry," Glasbergen said, adding it's not the first time he's been dropped.
"There's absolutely no dignity for people with disabilities that need assistance transferring."
Glasbergen is calling on airlines and regulators to figure out a way to allow wheelchair users to remain seated in their personal mobility devices when they fly, as they can on buses and trains.
Between the hassle, potential injuries and damage to wheelchairs stowed alongside luggage, people who rely on wheelchairs for mobility, advocates and the U.S. transportation secretary, argue it's time to make air travel more accessible so people living with disabilities have a more equitable flying experience.
"If they can figure out how to fly a helicopter on Mars, they can figure out how to get wheelchair users sitting in their wheelchairs safely," Glasbergen said.
"It's not something that's going to take weeks or days because obviously some cabin reconfiguration might have to be done … I just want to see progress."
In an email statement to CBC Toronto, Air Transat apologized and said it is in contact with Glasbergen to discuss how to improve future travel experiences.
Freezing rain, blowing snow, ice pellets and strong winds are prompting weather alerts for much of eastern Canada.
Newfoundland and Labrador punched above its weight in sports, and 2025 gave the province the chance to shine on the national and international stages.
Visitors to Halifax would be forgiven for puzzling over the quirky routes of some of the city's main thoroughfares.
Deborah Ann Badeau listens to Country 94 radio in her small apartment. It’s been nearly a year since she moved into the transitional housing unit, after about six years living in a tent.
The walls and racks of the Accès-Loisirs Québec warehouse are overflowing with everything from hockey jerseys and skis to tennis rackets, sleeping bags, soccer cleats and even a few guitars.
Manitoba's government appears to be making progress in its commitment to expand spinal care capacity, but it's not happening fast enough for some patients, who want the province to reduce the barriers to getting out-of-province care.
Chief Cam McBride acknowledges crime has declined even as spending on police will rise to one-quarter of the city’s budget next year.
Two athletes from Prince Edward Island are one step closer to the Olympics after being selected for funding and accelerated development through the Canadian Olympic Committee’s official talent search program, RBC Training Ground.
Hamilton's new rules intended to improve apartment building conditions will roll out Jan. 1.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued a yellow rainfall and wind warning for Windsor-Essex.
As Jillian Popplow packed away dozens of T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase “sex, drugs & lobster rolls,” she questioned what would become of the quirky tees.
Framed art pieces practically cover the walls of Peter Marsh’s home in Scarborough
Crews had nearly finished dealing with the aftermath of Boxing Day's freezing rain when heavy rain and strong winds hit London on Sunday.