Dear Air France: My Wheelchair Is Like My Legs, Not My Luggage

For our Viewpoint series, Skift invites thought leaders, some from the less obvious corners of travel, to join in the conversation. We know that these independent voices are important to the dialogue within the industry. Our guest columnists will identify and shape what global trends and through lines will define the future of travel.

As someone who has saved her best dresses for her visit to Paris, I am not too sure if it will be on Air France. The reason being the airline needs to update and upgrade its understanding of disability. But I am here to help with that pro bono. Or maybe in exchange for some macarons.

I was on your carrier on Dec. 12, 2022, traveling from Lisbon to Dubai to speak at Skift Global Forum East, a conference about the future of travel. My talk was about empathy towards people with disabilities. What are the odds? But as I arrived in Dubai, I sat for more than 40 minutes in the aircraft waiting for my wheelchair. This is a provision all good airlines ensure without the daunting effect of waiting with uncertainty as cleaners start cleaning the aircraft. The head of crew then intimated me and made me feel stubborn for asking for my wheelchair repeatedly from the moment of check-in. He asked me to get off on the airport wheelchair while I "stood" my ground and told him that he was violating my human rights. 

A simple rule of thumb is to know that assistive devices and wheelchairs are like a person's body. A wheelchair is not bagga