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Disabled man drags himself off plane after Air Canada fails to offer wheelchair
The Guardian via Yahoo ^ | 10/30/2023 | Leyland Cecco

Posted on 10/30/2023 10:12:10 AM PDT by DFG

Air Canada has been forced to apologize after a man with spastic cerebral palsy was forced to drag himself off a plane when the flagship carrier failed to provide a wheelchair for him.

Rodney Hodgins, 49, a hardware salesman from British Columbia who requires the use of a motorized wheelchair, flew to Las Vegas with his wife, Deanna, to celebrate their anniversary in August.

But when the plane landed, the flight attendant told the couple there wasn’t time to get a wheelchair on board before the plane had to prepare for takeoff again, Deanna Hodgins wrote in a recent Facebook post.

When the attendant said Hodgins would have to pull himself off the plane alone, the couple at first thought she was joking – but then she repeated the request.

“I said, ‘Of course I can’t. I’m in a wheelchair. I can’t walk,’” he told the Canadian Press.

Hodgins was forced to use his upper body strength to haul himself past 12 rows of seats, with his wife holding his legs.

In her Facebook post, Deanna Hodgins said the event left the couple devastated.

“It took us struggling, in front of a dozen people as some looked away and others looked on with shame, to get him off that plane … he hurt his legs and I hurt my back – emotionally a lot more was hurt … my husband’s human rights were trampled on and Air Canada won’t respond to us, and never did reach out like they promised,” she wrote. “Rod is the most beautiful human on the planet and didn’t deserve this at all.”

She said the couple had planned the trip for eight months and made sure they took care of all requirements on their end. “Air Canada failed us in every sense.”

(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: air; aircanada; cadieux; canada; hodgins; wheelchair
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To: McGavin999

At the very least, the flight crew could have done that.


21 posted on 10/30/2023 10:33:19 AM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.)
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To: PGR88

In today’s amoral, Might=Right world weakness is the sign of Wrongness.


22 posted on 10/30/2023 10:34:27 AM PDT by Justa (If where you came from is so great then why aren't Floridians moving there?)
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To: PGR88

A bunch of “men” were standing at the front watching him struggle. I hope he has to go to the bank every day because of how much money he wins.


23 posted on 10/30/2023 10:39:13 AM PDT by leaning conservative (snow coming, school cancelled, yayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!)
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To: PGR88

Exactly !!!

Unbelievable story!


24 posted on 10/30/2023 10:45:00 AM PDT by Cen-Tejas
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To: metmom; MeanWestTexan

No time left for you
On my way to better things
(No time left for you)
I’ll find myself some wings
(No time left for you)
Distant roads are calling me
(No time left for you)
Mm-da, mm-da, mm-da, mm-da, mm-da


25 posted on 10/30/2023 10:45:10 AM PDT by Larry Lucido (Donate! Don't just post clickbait!)
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To: metmom

Absolutely, but with that not done how could people not offer help?


26 posted on 10/30/2023 10:48:52 AM PDT by McGavin999 ( A sense of humor is a sign of intelligence, leftists have no sense of humor, therefore……)
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To: Larry Lucido

LOL


27 posted on 10/30/2023 10:52:47 AM PDT by nwrep
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To: Midwesterner53

Have the wheelchair on the GANGWAY waiting for him. Did they NOT order one?


28 posted on 10/30/2023 10:53:28 AM PDT by Ann Archy (Abortion....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: metmom

That’s really pretty bad. Getting a wheelchair at the airport is not a big deal. I did it many times for my Mom.


29 posted on 10/30/2023 10:57:04 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: DFG

If the disabled passenger calls one of the stewardi an off color name, he would have been assisted by a TSA.


30 posted on 10/30/2023 11:01:52 AM PDT by HIDEK6 (God bless Donald Trump. )
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To: MeanWestTexan

Could have just denied boarding on grounds of Canadian nuisance law. Call a swat team from us justice dept to make sure he remains home bound.


31 posted on 10/30/2023 11:11:29 AM PDT by whistleduck
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To: I want the USA back

Has Trudeau frozen his bank account yet?


32 posted on 10/30/2023 11:25:11 AM PDT by wrcase
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To: DFG

Where’s the violent riot from the onlookers? Worth jail time for me. If you have any worth before God....that was the moment.


33 posted on 10/30/2023 11:29:47 AM PDT by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It ( )
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To: DFG

talk about a no frills airline...


34 posted on 10/30/2023 11:51:42 AM PDT by Chode (there is no fall back position, there's no rally point, there is no LZ... we're on our own. #FJB)
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To: DFG
That’s an easy one...just refuse to get off the plane. Although what actually happened just might get him serious $$$ in a settlement...or jury award, The trial would take place in a US court...and the Americans With Disabilities Act would be the central factor.
35 posted on 10/30/2023 11:52:22 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Two Words: Banana Republic)
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To: Magnum44

He’ll be flying free for a while ... and a wheelchair will be readily available each time.


36 posted on 10/30/2023 11:52:30 AM PDT by glennaro (Never give up ... never give in ... never surrender ... and enjoy every minute of doing so.)
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To: DFG

Meanwhile. Fatties in US airports are shuttled around with personal servants in wheel chairs. Most disgusting thing I saw was at the Denver international immigration / customs warehouse where one fatty after another was shuffled to the head of the line in from of hundreds of people who had been waiting for two hours.

I am leery of this story though... There always seems to be more to these stories.


37 posted on 10/30/2023 12:00:17 PM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: glennaro

Why stop at money? He should demand that his disability be healed. And that wight track tapes be brought back into use.


38 posted on 10/30/2023 12:07:39 PM PDT by desertsolitaire (w)
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To: Organic Panic
Having worked in health care for 20+ years I guarantee that it's hard to fake cerebral palsy. And it's also hard to walk with cerebral palsy.
39 posted on 10/30/2023 12:09:10 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Two Words: Banana Republic)
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To: DFG

I have a somewhat famous comedian friend who has palsy, and flies frequently. He usually has a hard time getting any beer on flights coz they think he’s already drunk. He works that stuff into his act, but it happens often.


40 posted on 10/30/2023 12:10:29 PM PDT by LittleBillyInfidel (This tagline has been formatted to fit the screen. Some content has been edited.)
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