Michael Triola had a rough experience on his United Airlines flight last month. Not only did his personal wheelchair arrive in Denver broken, he also fell out of the aisle chair while getting off the plane.
“By the time they got the aisle chair to us we were being rushed because the cleaning crew was on,” he told USA TODAY.
Triola, 27, has spina bifida and was flying from Chicago on May 29 with his family. He said his father saw the broken wheelchair before he did.
“My dad was just outside of the plane where they brought my wheelchair back,” Triola said. “It’s solid wheels and tire treads that cover that … One of the treads was laying on top of the wheel completely off.”
Even more frustrating, he said, was that they weren’t taken somewhere away from the concourse crowds to discuss possible resolutions.
“It was a disaster,” he said. “They made no efforts to take us to the side, somewhere private. It was just out in front of the gate while a flight was boarding.”
United acknowledge the incident and said in a statement that the airline is always working to improve the experience for disabled travelers.
“After our ramp agents noticed the damaged wheelchair, our maintenance team worked alongside the customer’s father to successfully repair the chair on site,” the statement said. “We continue our strong focus on providing a safe and comfortable journey for all our customers, especially those who require additional assistance or the use of a wheelchair.”
Tell us your story:Mobility device lost or damaged by an airline? USA TODAY wants to hear about it.
Triola acknowledged that his father was able to repair his wheelchair at the airport with the help of two airplane mechanics and their toolkits, and said that his wheelchair is still usable.
Even still, he said, airlines need to do better.
“How is it possible that this happened? This is a very expensive piece of mobility equipment that is my only way of getting around. I cannot physically get around without it,” he said. “That’s my lifeline. I can’t move without it.”
How common is mobility equipment damage in air travel?
According to the Department of Transportation, airlines “mishandle” on average about 1.5% of the mobility equipment they transport. In 2022, that translated to 11,389 incidents reported by U.S. airlines, up from 7,239 in 2021.
This year, USA TODAY wants to highlight what those figures mean for travelers with disabilities. We’re looking to track these incidents throughout 2023 with the goal of bringing light to an all-too-common problem.
If your own mobility equipment was damaged or lost by an airline this year, please share your story with us using the form below:
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com
