ATLANTA (AP/WSVN) — A woman with multiple sclerosis says Delta Air Lines employees tied her to a wheelchair with a blanket when they didn’t have a chair that could accommodate her disability, and her son says a supervisor cursed at her as she wept.
Maria Saliagas tells WSB-TV that she normally flies on Delta, saying the airline has always been able to accommodate her by ensuring workers have a wheelchair equipped with straps to help her sit up straight, since she cannot do so on her own. But when she and her husband arrived in Amsterdam, Delta did not have a chair with straps. That’s when employees tied her to a regular wheelchair using another passenger’s blanket.
Nathan Saliagas tweeted April 2 that Delta’s actions left his mother bruised and crying.
“They took a dirty blanket and tied her forcefully with it and she has bruise marks on part of her arm because it was so tight and she started crying. That’s when that picture was taken,” he said.
He tweeted a photo of his mother and tagged Delta and several local journalists. The company offered Saliagas 20,000 SkyMiles, but the family says they want changes in the disability policy.
Delta released a statement regarding the incident, saying, “We regret the perception our service has left on these customers. We have reached out to them, not only to resolve their concerns, but also ensure that their return flight exceeds expectations.”
Nathan Saliagas says he’s complained to federal transportation officials.
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