Damning Documentary Highlights Significant Air Canada Failings In Treatment Of Disabled Travelers

Air Canada is set to overhaul its current accessibility measures to support disabled passengers following the release of a scathing CBC documentary.

The Canadian flag carrier came under criticism earlier this week following a report by CBC’s Marketplace highlighting major safety lapses in the airline’s boarding processes for customers with disabilities.

“I did not feel safe”

Toronto-based Alessia Di Virgilio was accompanied by Marketplace during an Air Canada service from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to Charlottetown Airport (YYG), during which Marketplace investigators captured shocking footage of airline staff accidentally detaching Virgilio’s ventilator while struggling to board her. In another incident during the journey, a lift fell onto the power wheelchair user’s head.

Speaking to CBC, Virgilio emphasized how the poor treatment left her feeling unsafe, overwhelmed, and terrified, particularly when Air Canada employees revealed their limited training on the equipment that they had claimed to have not used in seven years.

Air Canada did not mention Virgilio’s case directly in a statement shared on Thursday; however, it noted that it would implement a series of new measures, including improving the boarding process, ensuring mobility aids are accessible through travel, and enhancing staff training to center its customers with disabilities. A new Director of Customer Accessibility position has been added to the airline’s senior team to oversee the implementation of its three-year accessibility strategy. CEO Michael Rosseau added,

“Air Canada recognizes the challenges customers with disabilities encounter when they fly and accepts its responsibility to provide convenient and consistent service so that flying with us becomes easier. Sometimes we do not meet this commitment, for which we offer a sincere apology. As our customers with disabilities tell us, the most important thing is that we continuously improve in the future.”

Cautious optimism for change

Alongside its new measures, the airline has also met with Minister of Transportation Pablo Rodriguez and Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities Kamal Khera to discuss its current approach to accessibility. In a statement, Rodriguez claimed that the surge of incidents at Air Canada had left him horrified and urged the airline to adjust its policies,

“All Canadians must be treated with dignity and respect. Full stop. They must present a plan to address this. Canadians expect Air Canada to do better.”

Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying

Passenger Rodney Hodgins was left stranded by the airline at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in August during a trip with his wife. According to The Daily Mail, Hodgins, who is diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, was required to hoist himself up and crawl along the aircraft aisle after crew were unable to provide him with a wheelchair. Air Canada noted that it utilizes a third company party for its accessibility operations in Las Vegas; however, Canada’s Transportation Agency (CTA) opened an investigation.

In another incident from May 2023, British Columbia-based comic Ryan Lachance was left bed-bound for several days after ill-trained staff dropped him while trying to lift him from his seat to his wheelchair.

AccessNow CEO Maayan Ziv’s wheelchair was broken following an 11-hour journey between Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) and Toronto back in 2022. In a post shared to social media site X, formerly Twitter, the disability advocate slammed the airline for stripping her of her independence. Speaking to CBC following the Marketplace exposé, Ziv expressed cautious optimism at the airline’s acknowledgment of its failures,

“Today was the first time that we heard any type of acknowledgement or accountability, any type of apology, and although vague, it’s the beginning of hopefully much more.”

What are your thoughts on CBC’s findings? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: CBC (1) (2), The Daily Mail, National Post