Woman in wheelchair is about to get booted from flight. Then passengers band together, come to her rescue


A woman who uses a wheelchair almost got kicked off a flight because she didn’t have a second individual flying with her. Then passengers banded together to keep her onboard. 

Amberley Snyder, a barrel racer who inspired the 2019 drama Walk Ride Rodeo, said she was traveling with Contour Airlines when she was approached and told she might have to leave the plane. According to employees who approached her, she needed someone with her at “all times” in case of emergency. Because she didn’t have a person directly assisting her, higher-ups allegedly told the employees to rebook her flight. 

What Happened on This Contour Airlines Plane?

Snyder posted three parts of her exchange with employees. In each, they tried to explain the exact reason why Contour Airlines could not allow Snyder to travel without an assistant. 

Based on the exchanges that Snyder posted, the airline did not have an assistant who could help Snyder in the event of an emergency. It’s unclear whether Snyder was clearly told throughout the booking process that she would need to bring an assistant. It’s also unclear how Contour Airlines originally presented Snyder’s accommodations and how she would travel that day. Regardless, Snyder boarded the plane and then was asked to leave because of an apparent breach of contract. 

“ They just want to rebook you or give you some kind of accommodation or full refund for your flight,” the employee said. 

Snyder explained that she doesn’t live in the city she was flying from, but the employee told her that the rebooking was a company policy. 

“ It’s just that due to the policies for the flight, since it’s a 30-seater flight and less,” the employee continued, but Snyder started speaking, saying, “ So when I put my reservation in and I request a wheelchair, you guys should know ahead of time that I need a chair.” 

The employee clarified that they weren’t blaming her for the situation. Despite this, they were still actively trying to remove her from the plane. 

What Did The Other Passengers Do?

In Snyder’s second video, she captured the way that passengers defended her. Those who overheard the situation began to speak up for Snyder. They actively questioned the policy and asked why Snyder couldn’t continue the flight. Then the passengers offered to help Snyder travel.

“ So we’re all traveling with her. We’re all gonna be her assistant, so if she needs to go…  We’re all here, yeah. So what’s the issue now?” one passenger said. 

Another passenger questioned the employee and said, “ If you know your policy that you’re stating, then state the policy and where we can find it.” 

Multiple individuals flying with Snyder offered to be her assistant so that she could continue the flight.

Did She Get On The Plane?

In Snyder’s final video, she revealed the outcome of the situation. A pilot for Contour Airlines more clearly outlined why Snyder not having an assistant could be a breach of contract. Then, the pilot told Snyder that since multiple people volunteered to assist her on the plane, he thought the flight itself was OK to greenlight. 

“ I would like to make the call that we get ready to get out of here and get you out to Tupelo,” the pilot said. 

The pilot reconfirmed that everyone was good to go and then allowed the flight to proceed. Snyder reconfirmed this in her video’s description, saying, “I appreciated the Pilot making a final decision and we all made it to our destination.”

She thanked the individuals who stood up for her as well, adding, “These fellow passengers came to my rescue. For that I will always be thankful.”

Is the Situation a Violation of the ADA?

Some viewers said that the way the airline approached Snyder could be an Americans with Disabilities Act violation.

“Isn’t this against the ADA? It doesn’t matter what their policy states. it’s against the law to discriminate against someone who’s disabled,” one commenter said. 

The ADA doesn’t actually apply to air travel. Instead, the Air Carrier Access Acess Act (ACAA) does. According to LegalClarity, the ACAA dictates that, “Airlines cannot refuse to transport [passengers] because of [their] disability, and they cannot cap the number of passengers with disabilities on any flight.” 

Employees with Contour Airlines said they were trying to rebook Snyder for another flight, not prevent her from flying altogether. But LegalClarity also notes that “Airlines generally cannot force [passengers] to travel with a companion as a condition of flying.” There are a few exceptions to this rule, such as when a passenger travels with a stretcher or incubator. Snyder did not say she was traveling with either. 

@amberleysnyder_ ✈️ Just another day flying out here…. My newest experience with @contourairlines ? PART 1 of 3 ? THE PERSON WHO WILL ADVOCATE THE MOST FOR YOU… is you. These fellow passengers came to my rescue. For that I will always be thankful. ? *I don’t want this employee harassed- attempted to hide his face. I know he didn’t want to come tell me this. #amberleysnyder #walkriderodeo #flyinginachair #advocate #contourairlines ♬ original sound – Amberley Snyder

The Mary Sue reached out to Snyder via TikTok direct message, as well as Contour Airlines via email.

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