Too Disabled To Fly? US Airways Boots Disabled Traveler

The airline industry has caused controversy over “too fat to fly” policies this year, but after US Airways booted a man last month for being “too disabled to fly,” it might find a new debate brewing.

Johnnie Tuitel, a motivational speaker with cerebral palsy, says a US Airways gate agent escorted him off a flight from West Palm Beach to Kansas City because he was deemed “too disabled” to fly by himself.

According to Tuitel, after being helped onto the plane by a gate agent, he was later told that he would need to fly with a companion, since he was a danger to himself and others if an emergency were to occur.

Tuitel, who says he has flown more than 500,000 miles over the past couple of years to attend conferences and deliver speeches, was born with cerebral palsy and has been wheelchair-bound his entire life. Tuitel says this is the first time an airline has required him to fly with a companion.

After being escorted off the plane, Tuitel booked a flight through Delta Air Lines without further incident. The delay, however, made him late to his speaking engagement to the 2010 National Self Advocacy Conference in Kansas City.

Tuitel, known by many as “America’s Pioneer Handicapitalist,” says he was humiliated by the incident and believes that his removal not only went against the American Disabilities Act, but also violated his civil rights. Tuitel is considering legal action.

A spokesperson for U.S. Airways has responded to the incident by saying it is the airline’s policy to determine if a passenger is in need of a companion. On U.S. Airways’ company Web site, the airline states that for safety-related reasons a passenger must be able to physically assist in their own evacuation in case of emergency.

If the passenger is unable to do so because of a severe “mobility impairment,” U.S. Airways requires that the passenger travel with a “safety assistant” out of pocket.

According to the airline, Tuitel’s physical state caught the attention of the gate agent, who assisted him onto the flight, and the flight crew, who determined he would need an assistant.

The airline is working to reach an agreement with Tuitel. He says he would take an apology from the airline, but also wants to make sure a similar situation doesn’t happen to anyone else.

By Adriana Padilla for PeterGreenberg.com.

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