Samanta Bullock in New York City (Source: Instagram)
A model and business executive has claimed she was stopped from boarding a British Airways flight at New York’s JFK Airport because she was travelling alone while using a wheelchair.47-year-old Samanta Bullock, founder of disability inclusion company Bullock Inclusion, said she was due to fly from New York to London when airline staff told her she would not be allowed to board. She later shared details of the incident on social media, calling it a case of disability discrimination.“I was not denied because of a ticket issue, a safety violation or missing documentation. I was denied because I am disabled and traveling independently,” Bullock wrote on social media Sunday.She said the explanation given to her by staff was that, as she was travelling alone, cabin crew would not be able to assist her to use the toilet during the flight or help her in the event of an emergency.“The explanation I was given was shocking. I was told that because I was travelling alone, the crew could not assist me to get to the toilet during the flight and could not evacuate me in an emergency,” she said.Bullock said she has travelled alone for many years and argued that requiring disabled passengers to fly with a companion creates an unfair financial burden. “If disabled people are expected to travel with a companion, that means we must pay for two flights instead of one,” she said.She added: “We are effectively being charged more for the same freedom and opportunities that non-disabled passengers take for granted.”After several hours at the airport, Bullock said she was eventually transferred to an American Airlines flight “without being asked”, but claimed she faced similar questioning from staff.She has since said she is considering legal action, alleging disability discrimination and saying she has documented evidence of what happened.“I believe this treatment may constitute disability discrimination, and I am exploring legal action to protect my rights and the rights of other disabled travellers,” she wrote. “I have everything documented and recorded and fully will continue this discussion and sue them for all the time and significant discrimination I have suffered.”“Disabled people deserve the same right to travel, work and live independently as everyone else,” she added.Bullock said she attended a United Nations disability rights conference in New York shortly before the incident. “I had just attended the 19th COSP Conference at the United Nations in New York, where global leaders, advocates, and organizations gathered to discuss and advance the rights of disabled people. They spent days talking about inclusion, accessibility, dignity, and equal rights,” she wrote. “Then I flew home with British Airways and experienced the exact opposite.”Bullock was left paralysed following a “near-fatal accident involving a firearm” at the age of 14. She later rebuilt her life to become a professional wheelchair tennis player and model. She represented Brazil in wheelchair tennis and won silver in doubles at the 2007 Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro. She also performed at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Paralympic Games.A British Airways spokesperson said the airline is reviewing the incident.“We are sorry for our customer’s experience and are urgently looking into what happened. We remain in direct contact with the customer while we review the circumstances,” the spokesperson said.
