After experiencing less-than-ideal circumstances while travelling with Air Canada, Canada乌鸦传媒檚 Chief Accessibility Officer Stephanie Cadieux doesn乌鸦传媒檛 want the focus to remain on her experience, but rather, on the issue of accessible air travel.

Cadieux, who has used a wheelchair since she was 18, tweeted that Air Canada had left her wheelchair in Toronto rather than load it onto her flight to Vancouver last Friday, Oct. 20.

乌鸦传媒淲ell. @AirCanada left my chair in Toronto. I乌鸦传媒檓 now without my essential equipment. Independence taken away. I乌鸦传媒檓 furious. Unacceptable. #RightsOnFlights,乌鸦传媒� the former Surrey South MLA, who still lives in South Surrey, posted.

Well. left my chair in Toronto. I乌鸦传媒檓 now without my essential equipment. Independence taken away. I乌鸦传媒檓 furious. Unacceptable.

乌鸦传媒� Stephanie Cadieux (@Stephanie4BC)

Cadieux posted a statement on LinkedIn about her experience, saying she received an overwhelming response 乌鸦传媒� many sharing similar stories without such quick resolution 乌鸦传媒� noting that Air Canada responded to her on X, formerly known as Twitter, and that her wheelchair has since been returned.

乌鸦传媒淲hile I乌鸦传媒檓 glad I乌鸦传媒檝e been able to draw attention to this issue, I don乌鸦传媒檛 want the continued focus to be on my experience,乌鸦传媒� she said in the statement.

乌鸦传媒淢y job title as Chief Accessibility Officer should not influence the experience I have when I fly. Every person with a disability who entrusts their wheelchair to an airline should expect, and be granted the same service. We are all customers,乌鸦传媒� she said.

READ ALSO:

乌鸦传媒淚 want everyone to understand that when a person乌鸦传媒檚 wheelchair is lost, so is their independence, safety, mobility, and dignity,乌鸦传媒� she continued.

Airlines do not treat these pieces of medical equipment as the essential extensions of individual乌鸦传媒檚 bodies that they are, Cadieux said.

乌鸦传媒淭he appropriate care and attention is not given and the result is situations like the one that happened to me on Friday. As it stands, the consequences for this neglect by the airlines are only felt by the person with the disability, who must fight to hold the airline accountable, often with little or no success. Airlines have to take responsibility and they have to do better.乌鸦传媒�

Air Canada apologized to Cadieux on X, noting 乌鸦传媒淎ccessibility is a priority,乌鸦传媒� for the airline and commiting to 乌鸦传媒渄o better.乌鸦传媒�

Cadieux has been speaking about the topic of accessible air travel a lot lately, she noted.

Later this week, she乌鸦传媒檚 heading to Chicago to attend an International Air Transport Association conference, and will be delivering a keynote address on the subject.

乌鸦传媒淭his is an important topic and it bears a lot more discussion, but urgent corrective action is also needed,乌鸦传媒� she wrote in her statement.

乌鸦传媒淚 travel a lot for my work and while my wheelchair has been damaged a number of times over the past year alone, this is the first time it didn乌鸦传媒檛 arrive at all. Rightfully, people expressed their dismay and outrage. Unfortunately, for people with disabilities this wasn乌鸦传媒檛 a big surprise.乌鸦传媒�

Calling the recent experience a 乌鸦传媒渧isceral reminder of why I do the work I do,乌鸦传媒� Cadieux noted that this is why so many advocates are always working so hard for change, and why it matters so much.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檒l continue to have conversations with the airlines and the air travel sector and I will continue to push for accessible air travel solutions for everyone,乌鸦传媒� she said in her statement.

乌鸦传媒淚t needs to change now.乌鸦传媒�