CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A handicapped man says an employee abandoned him on the curb in a wheelchair instead of taking him to the rideshare area, like he anticipated.
But the company in charge says the employee was just following their policy.
If you’re handicapped, you can get a wheelchair to get around the airport. But the service stops at baggage claim, so if you want to get a rideshare or rental car, you’ll have to figure out another way around.
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“We literally sat there and said, ‘What are we going to do?’” Larry Carnell told Channel 2’s Michael Doudna. “I’ve never run into this situation in any other airport in the country.”
Because of a stroke a decade ago, the frequent flyer relies on airport wheelchair services to get him around.
But he says he was dropped off at the curb at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and told that’s as far as they could take him because of company policy.
“My response was, ‘Well, how am I supposed to get there? I can’t walk there,’” he said.
When asked, the wheelchair service provider says their employees are following federal guidelines.
“Escorts to rideshare or rental car areas are not generally provided due to safety considerations related to traffic and unsecured areas,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
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“For many people, they can’t do it. They physically can’t do it,” Carnell said.
Airport officials say they are aware of the complaint and that they are committed to following the Americans with Disabilities Act and making sure all passengers have access to the services they need.
Carnell says he wants to see change.
“Let’s be honest: Things happen. The key issue is how management responds to issues,” he said.
Not every airline uses the same wheelchair service provider. Doudna learned that United Airlines, Frontier Airlines and the airport’s international terminal all have their own provider.
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