American Airlines responds after woman with down syndrome claims she was banned from flying alone
A woman with Down syndrome says she was left in tears at an airport after American Airlines staff determined she needed someone to accompany her on a flight.
Jennifer Jaspers, 52, had been planning to fly alone from Omaha, Nebraska, to North Carolina on July 23 to visit her father and cousins for her birthday.
But when she checked in at Eppley Airfield with her mother, Cindy Garrett, staff assessed whether she could respond to safety situations on her own.
Jaspers was ultimately denied a boarding pass after a supervisor became involved.
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American Airlines has since said its policy requires passengers who are unable to follow safety instructions during a flight to travel with a safety assistant.
According to Garrett, her daughter was asked during the check-in process whether she would be able to get herself out of a building independently.
Garrett said the question caught Jaspers off guard and she answered that she didn't know.
'I started crying at the airport,' Jaspers told WLFLX.
Garrett said her daughter has previously traveled alone dozens of times and has used arrangements with airline staff to help her navigate between gates.
"She has a phone in her purse all the time and she knows how to use it," Garrett said.
American Airlines said airport employees followed its established procedures when assessing Jaspers and concluded that she required a safety assistant.
The airline said it offered an assistant at no additional cost.
Garrett said Jaspers had purchased a first-class ticket, but the family was told she would not be able to travel in first class with a safety assistant.
American Airlines said her original ticket was refunded. The airline also said the policy is not new and is outlined on its website.
What are the rules for disabled passengers flying alone?
The case has raised questions from disability advocates about how airlines decide which passengers need to undergo this type of assessment.
Elizabeth Draney, director of the Down Syndrome Alliance, said many people with Down syndrome travel independently and questioned how airlines determine who should be asked the safety-related questions.
"If they have these questions they ask to determine if someone can fly, who are they deciding who to ask those questions to - that would be something I wonder about," Draney said.
The US Department of Transportation says airlines can only require a passenger to travel with a safety assistant in limited circumstances, including when someone is unable to comprehend safety instructions.
If an airline determines that a passenger requires a safety assistant and the passenger disagrees with that assessment, the DOT says the airline cannot charge the person for the assistant's ticket.
The department said it takes allegations of disability-related discrimination seriously and that consumers who believe their rights have been violated can submit complaints to the airline and the USDOT.
Despite what happened at the airport, Jaspers still hopes to make her trip to North Carolina.
Her father ultimately spent two weeks arranging a round-trip journey from North Carolina to Omaha and paid $1,800 to serve as her travel assistant.
Garrett said the family plans to ask American Airlines whether its offer of a no-cost safety assistant remains available.
"If they're the ones that say she needs a second person, then at least half of it they should pay," Garrett said.
American Airlines have been approached for additional comment.
Topics: American Airlines, US News
Thomas Bamford