Air Canada fined $97.5k after disabled man had to drag himself to exit

A man with cerebral palsy said he had to drag himself off an Air Canada plane, prompting a hefty fine for the airline.

Air Canada is facing a hefty fine for failing to help a wheelchair user disembark its aircraft, reportedly forcing a man who can't move his legs to drag himself off the plane.

The Canadian Transportation Agency announced Thursday that it has issued a $97,500 penalty to the airline for violating the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations in multiple ways, specifically related to its obligation to provide certain services to travelers with disabilities.

The regulator said the fine is related to an incident that occurred on Aug. 30, 2023, when British Columbia resident Rodney Hodgins said there would be no help to get him to the plane's exit.

Hodgins, who has spastic cerebral palsy and can't use his legs, told CNN that only one staff member came to assist him upon landing from Vancouver to Las Vegas—a celebration trip he planned for his first wedding anniversary with his wife—despite him telling the crew he needed multiple people to help maneuver him into the narrow aisle chair.

Once staff said they needed to turn the plane around, Hodgins said he felt obligated to get off the plane, and with no wheelchair, dragging himself to the exit was the only option.