American Airlines has opened an investigation after a widely circulated video showing employees manhandling a wheelchair while it was removed from the plane’s baggage hold.
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The video, posted to TikTok on November 19, shows an employee exiting the plane and the wheelchair rolling down a ramp before violently crashing into a wall and being thrown several metres.
Another employee who was waiting at ground level then calmly went to get the wheelchair and placed it on a trailer where there were several other pieces of equipment for people with limited mobility.
The video has received nearly 3 million views and has attracted the attention of US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, who points out on X (formerly Twitter) that this situation is “completely unacceptable.”
Senator Tammy Duckworth also said she was “livid” after watching the video.
“American Airlines needs to do better,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The airline said in a statement sent to the New York Post that it is trying to obtain more information regarding this event.
“The video is very disturbing and we will seek further details to take the necessary action with our teams,” the statement read. We continue to work hard to improve equipment handling for people with limited mobility.
The US Department of Transportation also opened its own investigation into the accident, according to CNN.
