A disturbing video has surfaced, revealing American Airlines baggage handlers at Miami International Airport callously tossing a passenger's wheelchair down a lengthy metal ramp, prompting widespread backlash against the largest airline in the United States.
The viral video, originally shared on TikTok on November 19, captures an American Airlines staff member releasing a wheelchair from the top of an unenclosed baggage chute, while another staff member awaits at the bottom. The wheelchair gains momentum, and with no attempt to slow it down, it crashes into a metal gate, flipping end-over-end and bouncing on the pavement before disappearing from view.
The video, viewed nearly 3 million times on TikTok alone, includes a caption alleging that the workers laughed while subjecting two other wheelchairs to the same treatment before filming began. The footage has sparked extensive condemnation online, with some sharing their own stories of mobility devices being damaged by American Airlines.
The incident drew the attention of Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who expressed his disgust on X, stating, "This is totally unacceptable. We'll be investigating. This is exactly why we are taking action to protect passengers who use wheelchairs. Everyone deserves to travel safely and with dignity."
Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), a wheelchair user and advocate for improved treatment of passengers' mobility devices, called the incident "infuriating" in a post on X. She emphasized the significance of proper care for mobility devices, comparing it to breaking someone's legs.
