Jet Blue Airlines destroyed my new power chair.
In September, thanks to a cancer organization, I had the time of my life on a solo life-changing trip to Nashville, Tennessee. After I landed home safely, it took a while for Jet Blue Airlines to find my new power chair. When they finally found it ( one hour later), I was mortified at how they could bring this chair up like this. I was shaking, with tears streaming down my face. I asked where my headrest and my legrest were. The person who brought my chair up by the elevator said, " I don't know what to tell you." I waited for the pilot to get off the plane because the man left me hanging.
Jet Blue Airlines destroyed my brand-new power chair, and I had a full-blown panic attack in the middle of an airport. I had to go to customer service, but their reps were rude. They didn't even care. All three ladies were laughing. People are so cruel and couldn't care less. I filed a complaint that my chair was broken because that is what the pilot told me to do since no one else helped me.
Thank goodness I took before pictures while I was in my mobility van before I left my house for my trip. Jet Blue Airlines decided to mess with my chair and take the headpiece and legrest off. Why is beyond me? That is something I have never seen before. You can't fix stupid. They have no right to touch my chair and take something off. Not only that, they broke my forearm crutch holder on the back of my chair. They also lost both extended leg rests, which I need daily to elevate my legs. That is why I use a power chair in the first place, for my legs!
It's now mid-December—December 16th, to be exact. I filed my complaint on September 10th, and my power chair is still not fixed entirely. It took three months for Jet Blue Airlines to get the right parts from Pride and then deal with two different techs who had to come out to my home to install them. One of the Techs was always " too busy" to fit me in. He would say, "I'll call soon; meanwhile, Jet Blue wanted it done immediately." My power chair is my lifeline. All this unnecessary extra stress fighting to fix my power chair is exhausting and stressful.
My power chair is more than just a "chair"—it has been my daily independence for the past fourteen years. This is not acceptable, and it has got to stop! The lack of care at so many airlines makes me sick.
Being disabled and dealing with another cancer recurrence and other complicated medical situations I have going on is just enough stress. Having this extra stress that I don't need is exhausting, and between all the calls from Jet Blue and Deliveries that never work out, it's uncalled for.
I am terrified to fly again because Jet Blue Airlines ruined my old power chair years ago, but not to this extent. That is why I always take pictures before I board, no matter what airline I fly with. If you are disabled and use a wheelchair daily, I advise you to take photographs this way you have them.
I am still waiting for a new tech number three to install my new extended leg rest, which I got from Jet Blue Airlines three weeks ago. For over two months, Pride needed help finding the correct ones that I had, even with a serial number. It shouldn't be that hard. Regardless if my chair was custom made. It's the same company! The constant battle back and forth is exhausting and frustrating. How hard could this be? I have three different boxes in my garage. The first tech already took one box. All of the leg rest did not fit my chair correctly. The leg rests are not locked in place for safety. They swing side to side. That shouldn't be.
The photographs below show that the leg rest didn't fit each time a new set came in the mail. I am just disgusted. Jet Blue and Pride Mobility wasted so much money and time. It's a miracle my new 5th leg rest set finally fits its frame. I had to assemble and test the pieces for the Jet Blue manager. Now, they have to be installed. Jet Blue wanted me to install it myself. I don't know how to do that! They broke this chair, not me. They have to come and fix it. These excuses are ridiculous. As of today, I am still waiting for a call.
I cannot wait for the day when our power or manual wheelchairs can easily fit onto airplanes. I know that is in the works, and it will take time, but disabled people need their chairs at all times. It's getting to be ridiculous. I shouldn't have to transfer to my seat in an aisle seat.
All airlines should be handicapped-accessible regardless of how much it costs. Accessibility should have been a priority from the start. All of this is unnecessary stress that I do not need. Every time I fly now, I will be nervous until I see my chair in one piece. Jet Blue Airlines reassures me that " This will never happen again."
I have gone to and from MDA Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, often with JetBlue or Delta, with this same chair before September. These workers who handle accessibility equipment need more training. More training needs to be done, STAT! Throwing chairs and handling chairs without the proper care and taking things off chairs is not acceptable. It has got to stop.
The Jet Blue Airlines case manager I am working with told me workers are not allowed to power on the power chair due to liability. If they cannot turn on the power chair to wheel up to the elevator, what made them remove my headrest, break my crutch holder, and lose both leg rest? Make that make sense.
I will post an updated photograph when my power chair is fixed correctly.
Comment below if this has ever happened to you.
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