'Wicked' star Marissa Bode accuses airline of disability discrimination
What's the story
Marissa Bode, a 25-year-old actor known for her role in Wicked, has accused Southern Airways of denying her boarding because she uses a wheelchair. The actor, who has been wheelchair-bound since a car accident at 11, shared her experience on TikTok recently. She described the incident as "awful" and "blatant segregation."
Flight details
What exactly happened during the layover?
Bode was on her way to a speaking engagement in Pennsylvania when the incident occurred during a layover. She said her first flight with United Airlines was uneventful, but things changed at the gate for her connecting flight with Southern Airways. "I got to the gate and was like, 'Hey, could you help me locate my boarding pass?'" she recounted.
Discrimination
'You're telling me none of the people who have...'
Bode added, "And the two people at the gate look at me and they're like, 'Can you stand?' And I said, 'No.'" "And they said, 'I'm sorry, because of that we're gonna have to deny you boarding.'" She added, "They proceeded to tell me all the planes within this airline have stairs to get on the plane. Wild. Never heard of that before." "You're telling me none of the people who have flown on your plane before are disabled?"
Airline's stance
Southern Airways has a policy regarding such situations
Southern Airways, which operates only in eight states, has a policy that passengers "must be able to ascend and descend several steps" due to their smaller aircraft design, per Page Six. The airline is not federally obligated to provide mechanical lifts in such cases, but may have ramps available. Bode revealed, "My manager spoke to them beforehand, and they fully assured that I would be set for my flight."
Aftermath
Bode had to drive 3 and a half hours
Bode expressed her frustration, "It's so much more than bad communication. It's so much more than a mistake." "These are our lives. This is our entire existence you're talking about. My wheelchair is my freedom." "And...when I'm crying out of frustration and talking to the people at the gate...I look like a crazy person." "And airlines as a whole, once again, do f***ing better." She eventually had to drive three and a half hours to reach her destination.