A trio of American Airlines passengers attacked a wheelchair assistant on the jetbridge in Atlanta (ATL) after he appeared he block them from getting off the aircraft.
Who Was In The Wrong? Wheelchair Assistant Attacked By American Airlines Passengers In ATL
Looking at the video, I have an idea about what happened. First, a disabled passenger was let off the aircraft who needed a few extra moments to get settled into her wheelchair. It appears that while she was getting settled, another wheelchair attendant tried to block people from getting off the aircraft to give her room.
They refused to wait, a scuffle ensued, and the wheelchair assistant lost a 3-on-1 shoving match that he also participated in. No one appears to be harmed, but there was yelling and there may have been assault (harmful or offensive touching).
MIA to ATL fight breaks out. @AmericanAir @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/2IeIwIq7gx
— Peter Miralles (@pmiralles) August 19, 2024
As View From The Wing points out, working for a wheelchair assistance for a company like Prospect or PrimeFlight is a “rough, low-paying job but it doesn’t usually come with getting pounded by disembarking American Airlines passengers.”
And that’s true. I’ve also seen a lot of these workers put on airplane kiddy wings and think they are in a position of authority over other passengers. In fact, I ran into a remarkably similar incident at EuroAirport (BSL) recently, though I knew better than to touch anybody.
The jetbridges are not exactly narrow like the aisles of an airplane. There is room, especially outside the aircraft door, for a disabled passenger to settle herself in a wheelchair while other passengers disembark around her. I find it totally inappropriate that a wheelchair attendant would block the door and while pinning him to the wall may have been a bit much, there may be circumstances where at least pushing him aside was reasonable (if someone blocks me from walking where I have a right to walk, I may well move them as well).
CONCLUSION
Since no further explanation was provided for the video, we must speculate, but it appears that the wheelchair assistant aggressively blocked people from stepping off the aircraft. That was improper conduct (and I think we can all agree that three people pushing the assistant several feet up against the opposite wall was also a bit much if just trying to get off the aircraft).
image @pmirrales / X
The de-evolution of the human species has begun and this looks like an excellent example. All the fuss for nothing. American should have planned for those needing extra time to exit last. It is an assault to move someone in a wheelchair, or even touch it. So as much as one may wish to get through, sometimes you have to suck it up.
Why is it always these guys
A brawl. Just like you might see at a Waffle House or Chuck E Cheese if you’re in the wrong neighborhood that includes a high % of the demographicwhich is far more likefy to behave this way than any other.
You may not like the elephant in the room, but there he is. Again.
Black. Flight to arl. Say no more, they thought they were in spirit
It actually looks to me like the wheelchair assistant hit the woman… And while she was being aggressive, I’m not exactly sure what he expected would happen next.
I think fighting is a sign of low intelligence, they all look stupid, and I certainly wouldn’t have handled it that way, but I think the two men just came to the defense of the woman they were with.
What were the cabin crew doing? On any decent airline they would hold up others leaving in order to allow a passenger with a disability to be treated with dignity.
Oh, but we’re talking here about the me, me, me, me culture of the United States. How disgusting.