Well… here we are. Avelo Airlines... Peace Love ACCESSibility

I’m sorry to drop something AGAIN, so disappointing, onto everyone’s feed, but this is a reality that needs to be talked about!

When we landed in Knoxville, we were so focused on finding transportation out of the airport that I couldn’t even process the civil rights violation Sam experienced while deplaning. It wasn’t until later that the weight of it hit me.

I’m not sharing this for sympathy. I’m sharing it because too many people with disabilities face these kinds of injustices every single day, especially when traveling.

Respect and dignity are not complicated.

They don’t require special equipment or extra staffing. They require awareness, training, and the willingness to treat every person as fully human.

We have to do better!! We just HAVE to….

Below is the letter I sent directly to Avelo, and I will be filing a formal complaint with the Department of Justice. Out of respect and proper procedure, I am sharing it with them first.

If you feel moved to do so, please share this story. Awareness is the first step toward accountability and change.   

Can't we just be there for each other?

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Discriminatory Treatment of Passenger with a Disability – November 23 AVELO AIR Flight # 651 New Haven to Knoxville

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding the deeply inappropriate and discriminatory treatment my family experienced while traveling with Avelo Air on November 23, from New Haven to Knoxville. We were a party of three, including my adult son, who is a wheelchair user.

At Tweed New Haven Airport, we were appropriately permitted to bring my son up the ramp to the aircraft door using his mobility device, consistent with his rights under the Air Carrier Access Act. Unfortunately, upon arrival in Knoxville, the level of dignity, safety, and respect afforded to him deteriorated significantly.

After waiting for the aircraft to empty, as is standard procedure, we were approached by two members of the transfer team. I moved our luggage slightly outside the aircraft door to create space, and was immediately told I could not step back inside the plane. I complied without issue. However, it became immediately apparent that neither Ainsley nor Ryan possessed the necessary training or competence to safely transfer a passenger with a mobility disability. Their lack of skill created a situation that was both unsafe and unsettling. The third member of our group was required to help with the transfer.

When I asked where my son’s wheelchair was, I was informed by Ainsley that they were “only allowed” to bring it to the gate area. When I expressed that this policy was neither respectful nor consistent with appropriate disability procedures, she did not respond. Instead, my son was pushed in the aisle chair all the way up the jetway and into a fully crowded gate area, filled with more than a hundred waiting passengers, where he was transferred publicly from the aisle chair into his wheelchair in a very undignified manner.

Subjecting any person to such a public display is profoundly disrespectful, unsafe, and in direct violation of the basic dignity every traveler deserves. No passenger with a disability should ever be placed on display in this manner while being transferred between mobility devices. It was humiliating and entirely avoidable.

When I requested to speak with a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO), Ainsley stated that she was the CRO. When I informed her that I wished to file a complaint, she instructed me to “do it online,” providing no support or guidance, as required by federal regulations.

I intend to submit a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Transportation/Department of Justice regarding this incident. However, I am first requesting an internal investigation from Avelo and a response regarding:

*How this incident will be addressed, including the training deficiencies demonstrated by staff.

*What corrective actions Avelo intends to take to ensure safe, private, and respectful treatment of passengers with disabilities moving forward.

*A formal apology to my son, who was treated with an alarming lack of dignity, respect, and humanity, subjecting him to a gate area filled with curious onlookers!

The treatment we received in Knoxville was unacceptable and stands in stark contrast to the appropriate and respectful handling we experienced in New Haven.

I kindly request a timely response outlining how Avelo plans to correct these failures and prevent them from happening again. We MUST get to a point where passengers with disabilities can experience travel as any other passenger experiences.

Respectfully,

Mary Caruso