Full Breakdown
Marissa Bode’s Boarding Denial Highlights Accessibility Gaps at a Small Regional Airline
4/25/2026, 10:35:25 AM
Marissa Bode Denied Boarding on Southern Airways
On April 23, 2024, actress Marissa Bode posted a TikTok video alleging that Southern Airways refused her boarding because she uses a wheelchair. After a successful United Airlines flight, Bode arrived at the gate for her connecting Southern Airways leg to a speaking engagement in a small Pennsylvania town. She says gate agents asked, “Can you stand?” and, after she answered “No,” informed her that she could not board. Bode reports the airline cited the weight of her 35-lb wheelchair and the fact that all Southern Airways aircraft are accessed via stairs. She was forced to drive three and a half hours to her destination.
Background & Context: Airline Accessibility Obligations
The U.S. Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) prohibits discrimination against passengers with disabilities and requires airlines to provide prompt wheelchair assistance for boarding, deplaning, and connections. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) enforces these standards, which apply to carriers operating under a U.S. certificate of public convenience and necessity.
Key Figures & Groups
- Marissa Bode – 25-year-old actress known for the film *Wicked*; wheelchair user.
- Southern Airways – Regional carrier operating aircraft that seat up to 28 passengers and rely on stairs for boarding.
- U.S. Department of Transportation – Federal agency responsible for enforcing the ACAA.
Data & Statistics
- Bode’s wheelchair weighs approximately 35 lb.
- Southern Airways aircraft accommodate up to 28 passengers.
- The carrier’s Contract of Carriage states passengers must be able to ascend and descend several steps and that the airline is not required under the ACAA to provide mechanical lift devices for aircraft of this size.
Official Statements & Responses
Southern Airways’ Contract of Carriage specifies that “customers must be able to ascend and descend several steps to board the aircraft” and notes that “portable boarding ramps may be available as an alternative to stairs; however, ramp availability cannot be guaranteed.” The U.S. DOT’s ACAA regulations require airlines to provide “prompt wheelchair or other guided assistance to board, deplane, or connect to another flight,” without exemption for aircraft size.
Criticism & Opposition
Bode characterized the incident as “blatant segregation” and urged disabled travelers to avoid Southern Airways. She accused the airline of treating her wheelchair as “an afterthought” and demanded that carriers “do f---ing better.” Her remarks frame the denial as a systemic failure rather than an isolated miscommunication.
On-the-Ground Reports
In her TikTok, Bode recounts asking gate staff for help locating her boarding pass, being met with the question “Can you stand?” and then hearing, “I’m sorry, because of that we’re going to have to deny you boarding.” She also says staff told her that “all the planes within this airline have stairs to get on the plane,” a claim she had never heard before. After the denial, Bode drove the 3.5-hour distance to her engagement.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Bode alleges the airline denied boarding due to the wheelchair’s weight and the stairs-only design. Southern Airways’ policy, however, states it is not required to provide mechanical lifts for its small aircraft and that ramp availability is not guaranteed. The airline has not responded to media inquiries, leaving the precise reason for the denial unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “As long as airlines are s***y, I’m going to continue talking about it.” — Marissa Bode, actress
- “blatant segregation” — Marissa Bode, actress
- “My wheelchair is my freedom,” she continued.” — Marissa Bode, actress
- “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?” — Marissa Bode, actress
- “And airlines as a whole, once again, do f---ing better,” — Marissa Bode, actress
What’s Next
Southern Airways has not issued a public comment, and the DOT has not announced an investigation. The incident may prompt further scrutiny of accessibility policies for small regional carriers, especially regarding the availability of ramps or lifts for wheelchair users on aircraft that seat fewer than 30 passengers.
