A woman who uses a wheelchair and has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis alleges that airport ground handlers seriously injured her while assisting her off a plane in Costa Rica. Loren Heyward, a resident of Delaware, has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, asserting that the airline is responsible for the injuries she sustained during the incident in June 2024.
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Heyward’s civil complaint was lodged with the Northern District of Texas on June 26. In her claim, she contends that American Airlines is liable for her injuries under the Montreal Convention, a treaty that outlines airline responsibilities for international flights. The incident reportedly occurred when Heyward was travelling to celebrate the 40th reunion of the Pi Beta chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, an organisation of which she is a founding member.
On June 27, 2024, Heyward departed from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, making her way to Liberia, Costa Rica, with a stopover in Charlotte, North Carolina. Due to the nature of her disability, she relies on a wheelchair for mobility and requires assistance to navigate both her wheelchair and the airport environment. Accompanying her on this trip was a Certified Nursing Assistant assigned to assist with her medical needs.
According to her lawsuit, after the flight landed smoothly in Costa Rica, four members of the contracted ground handling service, Aeroservicios, arrived to provide assistance. Heyward’s aide communicated with the crew and made it clear that, due to her condition, she would need to be lifted by the waistband of her trousers. However, in what Heyward describes as an aggressive manoeuvre, a ground handler allegedly “forcefully yanked” her right arm upward in an attempt to lift her from her seat.
Heyward reports having heard a distinct ‘crack’ in her arm at the moment the handler pulled, instantly experiencing a sharp pain in the upper arm. The incident resulted in a displaced fracture of her humerus bone. Following the event, she claims to have suffered serious and lasting injuries that have necessitated costly medical interventions both immediately and in the future.
As she seeks to hold American Airlines accountable, Heyward is pursuing monetary damages and has requested a jury trial. Her attorney, Erin Applebaum, expressed their commitment to representing Heyward in her quest for accountability, stating, “Ms. Heyward boarded her flight expecting to reach her destination safely. Instead, she left the airplane with a severely broken arm while receiving wheelchair assistance from American Airlines personnel.”
Heyward’s experience raises pressing questions about the treatment of passengers with disabilities in the airline industry. American Airlines, as a major carrier, offers mobility assistance for passengers in need but contracts third-party companies for the provision of these services, as outlined on their website.
In light of this incident, there may be implications for the practices and training of ground handling staff, particularly in regards to understanding and accommodating the needs of disabled passengers. Heyward’s case could potentially draw attention to the broader conversation about disability rights in air travel, as she seeks to advocate not only for herself but also for others in similar situations.
At present, American Airlines has been approached for comment regarding the allegations but has not yet issued a public response. The outcome of Heyward’s lawsuit may set a precedent for how airlines manage accessibility and safety for passengers with disabilities in the future.