Shawn Baumstark said the damage to his walker could have been much worse, but he’s still outraged by what happened on that Southwest Airlines flight.
“This incident is child’s play compared to many others, but it started with my walker being left behind at the departure point,” he told USA Today. He traveled from Sacramento, California, to Las Vegas on July 13, and his walker didn’t catch up with him until the next day.
Baumstark, who has Friedreich’s ataxia, said while she doesn’t rely on her walker 100% it’s an important mobility aid and was frustrated when she went to pick it up not only was there a delay but also to find it was broken.
“I immediately told (the airport attendant), ‘This is broken and we need to document it. It still works, you can take it, but this is not in the condition that I gave it to you,'” he said. It was the carrying basket that was broken, and while the walker still functioned as a mobility aid, the damage affected the device’s usability, he said.
“If you try to carry your coffee without a bag to put it in, it becomes difficult to carry it with your walker,” he says. “That creates a domino effect that makes things more difficult. It’s very vain, but it also shows vanity. It’s embarrassing if your walker looks broken.”
Global Repair Group, the company that repairs mobility aids for Southwest, initially suggested he fix the mobility aid himself, Baumstark said.
“I replied that it wasn’t good enough, for two reasons: my disability makes it hard for me to tinker with small parts and small areas, and dexterity, muscle control, all of those things are not my forte,” he said. “More importantly to me, I didn’t want to waste any more time on their mistakes.”
Baumstark already had to take an Uber back and forth from the airport to pick up his delayed and damaged device. He said he hasn’t received any compensation for the ride.
Southwest has previously said it will assist any customer whose mobility equipment is damaged during a trip.
“Our teams are in contact with customers to assist them with their individual circumstances,” the airline said in a statement to USA Today.
Ultimately, Global Repair Group agreed to replace Baumstark’s walker, and the new device was at his home when he returned from his trip, he said. He said the repair-and-replacement system worked “perfectly as designed” in his situation, but still feels airlines could do better overall.
He said baggage handlers need better training, airlines should continue to work on developing wheelchair-securing seats on planes, and airline employees should be more friendly overall.
“They could do with a little more empathy, which is sorely lacking,” he said. “Judging by their facial expressions and tone of voice, it sounds like they took it personally that I was asking for a pass before boarding.”
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How common is damage to mobility equipment during air travel?
According to the Department of Transportation, airlines “mishandle” on average about 1.5% of the mobility equipment they transport. In 2022, U.S. airlines reported 11,389 accidents, up from 7,239 in 2021.
This year, USA TODAY wants to highlight what these numbers mean for travelers with disabilities, and we hope to track these incidents throughout 2023 with the goal of shining a light on an all-too-common issue.
If your travel equipment has been damaged or lost by an airline this year, please use the form below to tell us your story.
Zach Wichter is a New York-based travel writer for USA TODAY. He can be reached at [email protected].