Story perspectives

Southern Airways Refuses Wheelchair Actress, Cites Plane Limits

4/26/2026

Summary

Southern Airways Denies

Southern Airways denied actress Marissa Bode boarding on April 23, asking her at the gate “Can you stand?”.
Bode posted the refusal on TikTok, recounting the agents’ response.
Her manager had obtained prior accommodation assurance, but staff said the airline’s 28-seat planes have only stairs and cannot fit her wheelchair.
Southern Airways called the incident upsetting, opened an investigation, and noted its contract exempts 28-seat planes from lifts.

Summary

Southern Airways Discriminates

Federal law bars airlines from discriminating against passengers with disabilities and requires boarding assistance.
Southern Airways’ policy requires passengers to ascend steps because its aircraft carry fewer than 30 passengers, though regulations do not require carriers to install lifts.
Marissa Bode, wheelchair-bound since a crash at age 11, was denied boarding by Southern Airways under that policy.
Bode called the denial “blatant segregation” and urged airlines to improve accessibility.

History

Historical Context

Congress passed the Air Carrier Access Act in 1986 after the Supreme Court’s DOT v. Paralyzed Veterans of America decision, obligating airlines to assist passengers with disabilities. The DOT’s 2022 Bill of Rights reinforced those duties, yet Southern Airways refused boarding of wheelchair-bound actress Marissa Bode in April 2024, underscoring enforcement gaps. U.S. carriers still damage an estimated 10,000–15,000 wheelchairs each year.

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Southern Airways Denies

Southern Airways denied actress Marissa Bode boarding on April 23, asking her at the gate “Can you stand?”.
Bode posted the refusal on TikTok, recounting the agents’ response.
Her manager had obtained prior accommodation assurance, but staff said the airline’s 28-seat planes have only stairs and cannot fit her wheelchair.
Southern Airways called the incident upsetting, opened an investigation, and noted its contract exempts 28-seat planes from lifts.

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