Looks like he maybe traveling with a battery the company says is not allowed for air travel (pictured on the right, notice the sticker).
Posted on 04/30/2019 3:00:08 PM PDT by Morgana
FULL TITLE: 'I had to crawl': Amputee seeks damages after United Airlines and airport security seize scooter batteries
Stearn Hodge says he will never forget the humiliation of having to drag his body across a hotel room floor during what was supposed to be a vacation celebrating his 43rd wedding anniversary — because a security agent at the Calgary International Airport and United Airlines confiscated the batteries he needed to operate a portable scooter.
"Having to crawl across the floor in front of my wife is the most humiliating thing that I can think of," said Hodge. "It unmasks how real my disability is … I haven't been the same since."
The 68-year-old retired contractor from Kelowna, B.C., lost his left arm and right leg in a 1984 workplace accident. He now relies on a portable scooter powered by lithium batteries.
But on a trip to Tulsa, Okla., on Feb. 26, 2017, an agent with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and a United Airlines official told Hodge to remove the $2,000 battery from his scooter and fly without it, as well as his spare battery.
In making the demand, both employees cited safety concerns.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbc.ca ...
A smart guy would invent a fire proof battery box. If the batteries explode, then make it explosion proof too.
The scooter goes in the cargo hold. By law, rechargable batteries cannot go in the cargo hold. The lawyer is playing lawsuit lottery.
Blame congress.
He only has one hand. He can’t push a wheelchair.
Agreed. No excuse, as he should’ve checked the limitations/requirements before flying. What else does he have to do. (cold, I know, but seriesly…)
His wife could have pushed him———easier than crawling on the floor.
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Yeah, I’m confused.
Maybe he really wants to sue...
“United Airlines must really want to go out of business because they try very hard to.”
NOT United’s issue. This was gone over on the Airliners Website.
The Scooter in question has very large lithium batteries, that are against CANADIAN LAW to transport on an aircraft. Even the Scooter’s manual say they may not be accepted by “Some” airlines.
I don’t know how this works but it seems like what should happen for these kinds of surprises that they ship the batts separately (by ground) to the destination. Passenger pays.
Can’t be the first time someone w/a scooter didn’t realize the batts don’t fly.
Might as well cut to the chase. According to the article, this specific battery has been cleared for air travel and during flight is stored in carry on baggage. He cleared all this with United prior to the flight, but when Canadian security stopped him a United flunky denied that and sided with the ignorant security guy. Must be as bad as our TSA.
United: What class is this ticket, sir? Beat-down, crawl on the floor or thrown off the plane?
To check in on line and in the fine print of the ticket the battery issue is addressed.
In the regular battery section which is quite detailed there is a link to the Special Needs Section:
We do not require information concerning the extent of a disability, however, the more information we have about you, the better prepared we are to meet your needs. United requires 48 hours advance notice and an hour in addition to the published airport check-in processing time of your originating airport if you:
Need onboard medical oxygen in flight (available on flights between Guam (GUM) and Tokyo (NRT) and flights between Guam (GUM) and Honolulu (HNL))
Will be using your FAA-approved respirator, ventilator, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine or your own personal oxygen concentrator (POC) (United does not provide POCs)
Require disassembly and/or packaging of a wheelchair battery
Will be transporting an electric wheelchair on an aircraft with fewer than 60 seats
Are traveling with a group of ten (10) or more people with disabilities
Plan to travel with an emotional support or psychiatric service animal in cabin
Special meals require a minimum of 24 hours advance notice, however we appreciate as much advance notice as possible.
Looks like he maybe traveling with a battery the company says is not allowed for air travel (pictured on the right, notice the sticker).
That is the real affront, to have followed all the regulations and then have your trip ruined. United should provide documentation of the clearance and a phone number for security or dumb employees to call.
Let's take the "made me crawl":
Every airport I have ever been to has tons of wheelchairs available. Do they want us to believe that everyone watching this guy crawl around on the floor nobody said: "Get him a wheel chair!"
Well, actually he can, but he would just going in circles.
“People should read the article. It says that his wife is under medical treatment so that she can’t push a wheelchair.”
]
Thanks,as I should have-——BEFORE I posted.
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Federal (and international) regulations prohibit large lithium batteries from airplanes which have passengers on board. Unfortunately the amputee didn't do enough research to learn that before setting off on their trip. That isn't the airline's fault, one quick google search and they would have known.
Like here
or here
“He only has one hand. He can’t push a wheelchair.”
His wife can!
Does his wife not understand the severity of his disability? Has she never seen him NOT on his scooter?
This story reeks of frivolous lawsuit.
If he did have the "not permitted for air travel" batteries like the price cited in the article suggests than he's SOL.
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