You just can’t make this stuff up!
D. Baraka Kanaan, a disabled man, is suing Delta Air Lines in Federal Court for making him crawl off the plane.
Baraka Kanaan is suing Delta Airlines after he was forced to crawl down the aisle of his plane, down the stairs, and across the tarmac to his wheelchair with no assistance from Delta employees.
An accident in 2000 left Kanaan’s legs partially paralyzed, and he relies on a wheelchair.
Delta had assured Kanaan weeks earlier that his disability would be accommodated, but then his flight departing Hawaii was cancelled due to weather, and he booked a flight for the next day.
Upon his arrival in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the complaint alleges Delta had none of the equipment — an aisle chair and a lift — to help Kanaan off the plane.
When he asked what his options were, a flight attendant replied, “I don’t know, but we can’t get you off the plane,” according to the complaint.
In his best suit, Kanaan then forced to [crawl] hand over hand through the main cabin and down a narrow flight of stairs and across the tarmac to his wheelchair,” which caused “great physical and emotional suffering.”
On the return trip to Hawaii, equipment was still unavailable and Kanaan was astonished to have to repeat the procedure. This time, the complaint states, the airline offered to place cardboard beneath Kanaan “so that his clothes wouldn’t get dirty.”
Kanaan states that a lift was visible at the next gate during the first incident, but that Delta employees made no move to borrow it from another airline.
When Kanaan complained to the airline, they offered him a $100 voucher and 25,000 SkyMiles, but he refused to accept, and says he doesn’t trust the airline to accommodate him. He is seeking compensation and damages to be determined at trial.
Kanaan’s lawsuit claims that was he forced to endure “appallingly outrageous treatment” on two occasions — his July 27, 2012, flight from Hawaii to Nantucket, Mass., and again on his return flight to Maui on July 29.
It makes you wonder what type of special training Delta’s employees go through to have their compassion removed. Delta is not totally the blame either, where were the other passengers, why did no one help Mr. Kanaan?
My team and I will contact Mr. Kanaan and his attorney for an on the air interview – stay tune!
I’m also appalled at this treatment, but not totally surprised. It reminds me of the incident with United Airlines and the guitar. Of course, in one regard I am comparing apples and oranges, a human to an instrument, but the underlying non-service oriented personnel is the same.
Where are the customer service people who are willing to go to any length to assist any passenger, let alone a disabled one.
In today’s world, this doesn’t go unnoticed and will cost Delta and all other companies who operate in this manner much more than the money they will lose!
My 2 cents.
I don’t know what to think! Is this true? It’s shocking to think that treating people like this is a good corporate policy.
I would like to hear from Delta’s CEO on this, how about you?
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