Plus-size travel influencer Jae’lynn Chaney slammed Seattle–Tacoma International Airport for discrimination after an employee allegedly forced her out of her wheelchair and made her walk down the airplane’s aisle all the way to her seat.
Taking to her TikTok page last Tuesday (May 14), Jae’lynn posted a video of herself boarding an airplane in Seattle, Washington, USA.
The 27-year-old explained that she had requested wheelchair assistance, an initiative she claimed to always do as a result of her physical condition as a “plus-size wheelchair user.”
When the time came for Jae’lynn to board her plane, she claimed the employee meant to assist her with her wheelchair walked away from her after noticing she wouldn’t be assisting “the smaller passengers.”
The TikToker recalled: “She started to walk away with the wheelchair while making comments about my size.
“Even when I told her I really needed the chair and needed her to let me sit down in it, she blatantly ignored me and kept walking.”
Plus-size travel influencer Jae’lynn Chaney criticized Seattle–Tacoma International Airport for discrimination
Image credits: jaebaeproductions
Jae’lynn said she was subsequently forced to “walk up one of the longest jet bridges [she's] encountered” and that by the time she had been allowed to reach her wheelchair and sit down, her lips had turned white as her “oxygen levels had dropped.”
She added: “I almost fainted, this was my first time flying without oxygen.
“This woman just assumed I could walk and would rather me do that instead of her having to push someone my size up the jet bridge.
“All the other attendants wheeled their passengers up the jet bridge, but my needs were disregarded.”
Image credits: jaebaeproductions
“This is discrimination, nobody should be treated this way.”
Jae’lynn said these types of incidents were examples of why airports needed “employee sensitivity training,” which was a demand that had been outlined in a plus-size travel petition the influencer started last year.
The petition, which has amassed 39,039 signatures of its 50,000 target, recounted Jae’lynn’s experience traveling with her fiancé, Ard, who is also plus-sized, and the discrimination they have been subjected to.
During a flight from Pasco, Washington, to Denver, Colorado, Ard was subjected to hateful comments, disapproving looks, and refusals to sit next to him, the petition stated.
She alleged an employee forced her to walk to her seat instead of providing wheelchair assistance
Image credits: jaebaeofficial
“Similarly, on another flight, I was forced to occupy only one seat with immovable armrests that caused me pain and bruises,” Jae’lynn wrote.
The influencer’s petition demands that The Federal Aviation Administration require all airlines to have a comprehensive policy for accommodating customers of size.
This includes providing additional seats, offering refunds for extra seats purchased, clear communication of policies, airport assistance, priority boarding, larger lavatories, seat belt extenders, and specific sections for larger seats on new aircraft.
It also calls for mandatory employee training on respectful treatment and the inclusion of wheelchair-accessible lavatories on new planes.
Image credits: jaebaeofficial
Additionally, the petition demands that the Transportation Security Administration should implement guidelines and training for respectful screenings of customers-of-size.
Jae’lynn’s video, which accumulated 87,200 views, divided viewers, as a TikTok user commented: “Could be the person wasn’t physically able to push her.
“I am certain that wasn’t in the job description.
“Level surface or downhill I could do it but I don’t know if it be [sic] able to up an incline.”
A person wrote: “You’re able to walk, just stop and take breaks along the way.
“Walking is better for you.”
"I almost fainted, this was my first time flying without oxygen," Jae’lynn said
Image credits: jaebaeofficial
Someone else penned: “Are you able to have a nurse assist you?
“Maybe the lady wasn’t physically able to push you.”
An observer suggested: “Get up and walk girly if you do it more as long as taking breaks you’ll get used to it.”
A viewer sympathized: “Sending positivity!
“No one should be discriminated against for their body or abilities”
Image credits: jaebaeofficial
An additional user argued: “I feel like a less selfish way of looking at this would be to get mad the airport didn’t have 2 people available to push you for employee safety reasons…one person shouldn’t be forced to risk injury.”
A commenter added: “If you think walking your own body up a jet bridge is hard imagine having to PUSH someone up it, especially as a smaller woman.”
A person asked: “Why should someone injure themselves for you? Obesity is a choice”
A separate individual chimed in: “I have health issues myself which has deterred me from flying, going to sports events, etc. but I’ve never blamed anyone for it.
“Most of these accessibility services are complimentary, not mandatory.”
Jae’lynn video got viral on TikTok:
“Wasn't sure when I'd share this, but staying silent isn't an option anymore,” Jae’lynn wrote in the caption.
She continued: “If you've faced something similar, you're not alone.
“Discrimination is real, and I don’t want anyBODY else to ever experience something like this.
“I don’t plan on stopping the fight for change in the travel industry and beyond.
“EveryBODY deserves respect and dignity, regardless of size, ability, or any other factor.
“Let's stand together to ensure equality for all.”
Bored Panda has contacted Seattle–Tacoma International Airport for comment.
"The entitlement is astronomical," a reader commented
