22-2-2024 (BEIJING) A recent incident involving an airline in China has ignited public fury after a woman with no legs was denied boarding due to the airline’s policy forbidding solo travel for wheelchair users. The incident has raised questions about discrimination and accessibility in the country’s air travel industry.
The woman, identified as Zhang and hailing from Hubei province in central China, had informed the airline, China Southern Airlines, 48 hours in advance about her requirement for a wheelchair. Despite having formal permission from the airline to travel alone with her wheelchair, Zhang was stopped from boarding by ground staff.
The airline’s ground crew insisted that Zhang needed a travel companion as they were unable to provide wheelchair services for her. Zhang, frustrated and confused, presented documentation proving her compliance with the airline’s policy and her ability to travel independently. She had even contacted the airline beforehand and received approval to fly without a companion.
Despite her efforts to explain the situation and provide evidence of the airline’s approval, Zhang failed to convince the staff, who not only prevented her from boarding but also issued her an official “refusal of carriage” certificate at the counter.
Expressing her disappointment, Zhang questioned the airline’s assumption that disabled individuals in wheelchairs cannot live and travel alone. She also highlighted another passenger who faced a similar experience and questioned the airline’s decision to implement a policy inconsistent with domestic standards.
When seeking clarification about the airline’s policy, a customer service agent mentioned that wheelchair users traveling with a companion could apply for in-cabin wheelchair services, provided they made the request 48 hours prior to the flight.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism of China Southern Airlines on social media platforms across the mainland. Many netizens questioned whether the airline was discriminating against disabled individuals and demanded a reasonable explanation for their actions.
