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A passenger from United Airlines is suing a federal court case after stating that he had been forced to crawl on the floor in his hotel room during his vacation because officials at the international airport from Canada in Calgary confiscated the batteries of his portable scooter. He claims up to $ 20,000 in damages, the maximum allowed under the Canadian Human Rights Act, for each head of pain and suffering.
Sixty – eight – year – old amputee Stearn Hodge, 68, was traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma, from Calgary, Alberta, with her wife for their 43rd wedding anniversary in February 2017, when the incident occurred. is produced.
Hodge, who lost her left arm and right leg in a work accident in 1984, reported the CBC, using her portable scooter to get around.
AIR LINE WARNING FOR BATTERIES FROM LITHIUM ION BATTERIES
However, when Hodge, an avid traveler, arrived at the airport, an agent from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) told the man that he was not could not take away its 2,000 lithium-ion batteries that its scooter needs in the aircraft because of the following reasons: fire concerns.
It was forbidden to store lithium-ion batteries in checked luggage on planes because of the risk of fire, but Hodge had documents from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) allowing it to travel with her because of her disability, CBC reported.
When Hodge tried to show his documents to CATSA, he would have been ignored. A spokesman for CATSA declined to comment on Fox News, the case is currently before the Federal Court of Canada.
A United Airlines airport agent also introduced himself to the security services and sided with the CATSA official, despite Hodge's explanation that the airline had approved his batteries earlier.
"I still remember that the CATSA officer had said," Well, you could have a wheelchair. "How's a guy with an arm going to run a wheelchair?" Asked Hodge, CBC reported. "How am I going down a ramp and braking with one hand, but it should not even be necessary."
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Hodge also noted that his wife had undergone cancer treatment prior to their trip and had not been able to push him into a wheelchair.
Once the couple arrived at their destination, Hodge said it was miserable.
A spokesman for CATSA declined to comment on Fox News, the case is currently before the Federal Court of Canada.
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"Having to crawl in front of my wife is the most humiliating thing I can think of," Hodge told the CBC. "It shows how true my disability is … I have not been the same since."
Once Hodge and his wife returned to Canada, Hodge received an email from United Airlines in response to his complaint. According to the email, airline resolution officer Tatricia Orija wrote, "It looks like we have violated federal disability requirements," the CBC reported. The email also provided Hodge and his wife with a $ 800 travel certificate.
A spokesman for United Airlines said in a statement to Fox News that he was investigating.
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"We are reviewing the allegations and, because of the ongoing litigation, we are not in a position to comment further. That said, the experience described is far from meeting our high demands for customer care. We are proud of the many steps we have taken in recent years to pay more attention to our customers and we are proud to operate an airline that not only includes people with disabilities, but also welcomes them as customers. "
Hodge has hired a lawyer and wants the Canadian Human Rights Commission to hear the case in Federal Court.
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