A woman from Saskatoon, who has spinal muscular atrophy, shared her challenging journey to British Columbia to visit her ailing mother-in-law. Desirée Parisien described the trip as extremely difficult due to not being allowed to fly with her heavy motorized wheelchair, which weighs about 500 pounds. WestJet’s policy restricts accessibility devices over 300 pounds on certain flights, leading to Parisien’s distressing experience.
After a recent ruling by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), WestJet was directed to eliminate the weight restriction for power wheelchairs by June 30, 2027. The decision was prompted by a case brought forward by Steven Fletcher, a former federal minister, who faced a similar issue while attempting to fly between Winnipeg and Toronto with his wheelchair last year.
While some advocates welcomed the ruling, Parisien expressed frustration at the lengthy wait until next summer for the policy change. She emphasized the immediate impact on her ability to travel, stating that the current ruling hinders her mobility and travel options significantly.
Parisien mentioned her previous trouble-free experiences flying with WestJet and highlighted the added challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. She lamented the limitations imposed by the weight restriction, making it arduous for her to leave the province.
Additionally, a Saskatoon father, Richard Nataraj, expressed relief at the ruling, particularly for his daughter Georgia, who also has spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair weighing over 400 pounds. Nataraj recounted a distressing incident where WestJet’s policy prevented Georgia from traveling to Mexico, despite their successful previous trip to France with the same wheelchair.
Nataraj welcomed the news of WestJet’s obligation to accommodate wheelchairs again but underscored that such accommodations should have been standard practice without the need for a federal ruling. He expressed hope that his daughter and others in similar situations would now have improved access to air travel with WestJet in the future.