Summary
- Air Canada has been fined CAD 97,500 ($73,700) by the Canadian Transportation Agency for failing to supply wheelchair assistance to a disabled passenger.
- Rodney Hodgins was forced to tug himself off of an Air Canada flight at Las Vegas in August after issues related to the carrier’s third-party accessibility provider.
- The airline has come under increased criticism in recent months following a CBC Documentary that highlighted failures and safety lapses in mobility support.
Flag carrier Air Canada has been hit with a C$97,500 ($73,700) nice by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) for failing to supply wheelchair assistance to a disabled passenger in August.
Damning Documentary Highlights Significant Air Canada Failings In Treatment Of Disabled Travelers
CBC’s Marketplace captured shocking footage of poorly trained airline employees unintentionally removing the ventilator of a passenger during boarding.
Accessibility failures
The airline was investigated by the agency earlier this 12 months after passenger Rodney Hodgins was forced to tug himself off an Air Canada aircraft at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).
Hodgins, who has spastic cerebral palsy, required wheelchair assistance while disembarking the flight from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) on August 30. Upon arrival in Las Vegas, Hodgins was informed by Air Canada staff that there was no support available to assist him off the plane, leaving him to tug himself to the front of the aircraft to access his motorized wheelchair. Chatting with CBC, Hodgins described the ordeal as dehumanizing, adding that he had been left in pain for days.
Photo: Air Canada
The incident was highlighted in October after a CBC Marketplace documentary revealed continued failures and lapses in safety when assisting customers with disabilities, with the CTA launching an investigation.
In keeping with the CTA’s enforcement actions dated December 21, Air Canada had failed to supply accessibility support when requested, violating the Canadian government’s Accessible Transportation for Individuals with Disabilities Regulations.
In an announcement shared with Easy Flying, a spokesperson for Air Canada clarified that the failures had occurred on account of issues with the third-party accessibility provider it had been using in Las Vegas and that the corporate would get replaced with a brand new provider starting in 2024. Air Canada explained,
Shifting policies
The carrier has come under increasing fire in recent months from disability advocates and government officials. That is the second nice Air Canada has received for failing to supply adequate assistance to passengers, with the carrier also slapped with a C$52,500 ($39,800) penalty on December 12 after an incident at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) involving Canada’s Chief Accessibility Officer, Stephanie Cadieux.
Air Canada Leaves Nation’s Chief Accessibility Officer’s Wheelchair Behind On Flight From Toronto
Stephanie Cadieux flew from Montreal to Vancouver but her wheelchair didn’t.
Cadieux slammed the airline for failing to move her wheelchair on a regional service between Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Vancouver as In a post shared by Cadeiux’s office on LinkedIn, the CAO noted,
The carrier released an announcement in November, with CEO Michael Rosseau issuing an open apology and confirming that it could speed up its recent three-year accessibility plan to stop future failures. Newly implemented policies include improved support during boarding, changes to the way it stores mobility aids during flights, and enhanced training for its airport employees.
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