American Airlines Please do better for your ADA Customers

Dear American Airlines,

I have flown safely and, for the most part, without much issue for a long time now. I’ve never experienced what I did at the DCA-Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport ticket counter yesterday, trying to get home. I’d like to ask you to do some ADA training at that location.

I’ve gone through many airports where I was greeted and helped without a fuss at all.

I have rare illnesses, and one of them plays with my body’s ability to control things you never have to think about, like body temperature or how my heart and blood pressure react to me doing things that I have no business doing. You’d never know it by looking at me.

But when it comes to getting home or not, what real choice do I have?
Please teach compassionate service and assistance to your ticket counter employees. I’d like to think it was one bad apple, but no one offered any help. Of note, there was one customer at the counter and at least 4 or 5 employees standing there watching it all unfold.

I don’t ask for help from anyone unless I really need it. I don’t believe in abusing services just because you qualify to use them. If I can pull it off and not hurt myself, then I WANT to do it for myself. I was a fully functioning EMT before breast cancer ended my career, and a rare illness made it all 1,000% worse.

I always make sure to have my request for assistance, which I personally add to my trips, as soon as my tickets have been ordered. So I don’t just stop in and ask for one, you know I’m coming.

Up till now, I have always been grateful for good service at Reagan. When I arrived yesterday, I had already checked myself in and asked for a wheelchair assist to my gate. I have vision issues, am hard of hearing, and doctors say I shouldn’t even be able to walk. I use a forarm crutch and if my eyes are really bad or I am in a place that could be tricky, a guide cane.

The American employee I approached immediately started complaining about being “out of chairs.” She borrowed one from a nearby area and came back to offer it to me. I showed her my ticket and what time my flight would start boarding. She then pointed over behind me, where three or four other people were waiting for wheelchair assistance. Proceeded to chastise me and told me to wait my turn. She made it very clear that I probably wouldn’t make it if I waited for help.

I was forced to walk it all myself, creating bruises from where the forarm crutch slides on my arm to help me support myself and not fall. I’ve gone through DCA many, many times, and I’ve had to wait, but never very long. I’d had times when someone came in after me, but due to their flight leaving sooner, going ahead of me, so we both can make our flights. I have in the past seen agents help when staff are short.

Yesterday I was told to run, at least that’s what it is for me. For you, a simple stride might get you there in mere minutes, for me, that was nearly an hour of straight physical and cardiac strain my body isn’t built for anymore. With my heart rate reaching nearly 180, I was scared I was going to stroke out. I wear an illness tracker, which literally gauges my body’s stress and works to help me pace myself to do the things I want to.

I’m happy I made it home safe and sound. The man who met me at my connection was very kind and went above and above to make sure I was okay. Asking me if I need the restroom or to stop for a drink. Perhaps you can find him and make him a trainer. I’m sorry, I can’t recall his name. At Manchester, I am always stress free, but this trip, Reagan failed not only I, but the folks lined up on display waiting for help. They were content to let the line grow, creating even larger delays for those of us who require ADA assistance.

Your employees, in general, are great folks, kind, and even get a smile out of you with a kind word or joke. Your pilots top notch, so I know you have it in you to fix this and not let delays and missed flights become a new subcategory with people who have accessibility needs.

Thank you for your time,

Jenn Coffey