Frontier Airlines apologized on Monday after refusing to allow a quadriplegic passenger to fly on a Dallas to Denver flight over the weekend because of safety concerns. John Morris, 24, was taken off the flight after a pilot said the seat belt extension was not adequate enough to hold him still.
The Fort Collins, Colo, college student became paralyzed after a snowboarding accident five years ago. One of the flight attendants saw Morris when he was strapped in and said they would have to clear it with the captain. Morris has limited upper body control.
"We’re sorry for the incident and are investigating its handling," the airline said in a statement. "In this situation we had a well-intentioned pilot who was seeking to do the right thing to ensure the safety and compliance of all involved."
Mike Fergus, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said in general individual pilots can exercise wide discretion on safety issues.
"The basic rule is that the pilot has complete authority over all aspects of the aircraft,’ he said. Frontier said it is investigating the incident.
"We will be taking the steps necessary to ensure clarity on the policies so that the situation is not repeated," the airline said. "Once the investigation is concluded, we will be sharing the outcome with the family involved."
Morris had flown with Frontier Airlines before. Each time he would use the seat-belt extension to secure his chest and legs. He managed to get on a later flight to Colorado on the same airline.
[Source: Reuters via Medical News Today]
