Woman outraged after Air Canada breaks her wheelchair during flight

@maayanziv_/Instagram

“Another flight, another broken wheelchair damaged by airlines.”

A Toronto woman is speaking out and holding Air Canada accountable after her wheelchair was broken by the airline.

Maayan Ziv, an entrepreneur and activist based in Toronto, was recently on a 10-hour flight from Toronto to Tel Aviv. After deboarding, she found her wheelchair broken and was forced to use a much-too-large one the airline provided as an alternative.

Ziv was in pain and without her independence. She recorded an emotional video demanding justice and equity and shared it on social media.

“I feel like people with disabilities aren’t seen. We are treated like luggage… this can’t continue anymore.”

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A post shared by Maayan Ziv (@maayanziv_)

“Too many disabled people are being stripped of mobility and independence on the account of airline negligence!” Ziv says.

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Since sharing her traumatic experience, Ziv received a ton of sympathy and support from the disability community.

I can’t believe how many people have been touched and angered by my wheelchair being damaged by @AirCanada

There are far too many stories similar to mine.

Too many disabled people are being stripped of mobility and independence on the account of airline negligence!

— Maayan Ziv (@maayanziv) September 9, 2022

Paralympian Alison Levine told Ziv via Twitter that it “happens all the time” when she travels. “There will always be a broken chair from our group. Not a question of if but a question of how bad.”

She goes on to say people “have no idea how frequently this happens and how completely destroying it can be to our lives.”

After hearing Ziv’s story, Carla Qualtrough, minister of employment, workforce development, and disability inclusion of Canada penned an open letter, demanding accountability and equity.

“I am deeply concerned by the lack of care and dignity being afforded to airline passengers with disabilities in Canada, and about the lack of accountability and corrective action on the part of airlines,” she writes.

She goes on to say she has spoken to the minister of transport and will be meeting with Air Canada and the CTA to discuss further action.

Carla Qualtrough/Facebook

Daily Hive reached out to Air Canada for comment regarding Ziv’s broken wheelchair. In a statement, it said: “Regrettably, in this case, we did not meet our normal service levels. We did respond to this customer’s concerns immediately at the airport, including arranging for a specialized wheelchair service to fix the damage.”

The airline added they also offered Ziv a voucher as a goodwill gesture. Whether that’s enough is up to Ziv to decide.