ICYMI: Deaf Woman Says She Was Kicked off a Frontier Flight for Not Hearing. What Was on Her Ticket the Whole Time Makes It Worse: ‘I’m Crying’
Frontier cries foul.
Frontier Airlines is facing serious backlash after a deaf woman was removed from one of its flights, despite her ticket clearly stating her disability. Ashley, who posts on TikTok as @legallyswiftie13, shared a video of the incident, which shows her sobbing as she’s asked to leave the plane. The worst part? Her ticket explicitly listed her as deaf, making the situation even more infuriating.
In the video, Ashley is visibly upset, explaining through tears that she’s willing to leave but doesn’t want to be accused of resisting. Her mom, who filmed the exchange, can be heard arguing with a staff member, insisting that Ashley’s deafness was noted on her ticket. The staffer, however, claims the decision was out of her hands. Ashley’s mom isn’t having it, calling the situation outright discrimination.
The post, which went viral sometime in March, includes a caption where Ashley directly calls out Frontier Airlines. She writes, “I was removed from a flight because I am deaf. When I went to rebook, the gate agents apologized for the flight attendant’s behavior. @Frontier Airlines please train your flight attendants on disability accommodations, specifically when somebody is deaf/hard of hearing.”
The response from viewers was overwhelmingly sympathetic
Many urged her to take legal action. One commenter even suggested, “You can sue both the airline AND the flight attendant btw.” Others shared their own experiences or fears about flying with a disability. One person wrote, “I am deaf and I used to like Frontier. For safety reasons I will never fly them again. That is so frightening. I am very sorry that happened.” Another asked for more details, wanting to know exactly why Frontier made her leave.
Ashley later responded to a comment, revealing that her family confronted the flight attendants after the incident. She said, “My brother ran up to take photos of the flight attendant after the flight. My family told all the flight attendants that they just kicked off a girl who’s gonna be a lawyer in 2 months. I think she was hiding her face because she knew she messed up.”
The emotional toll of the incident is clear, especially for those with loved ones who are deaf or hard of hearing. One commenter shared, “With a daughter that is also hard of hearing this crushes me. I hate you were discriminated against, this hit really close to home and I was crying with you.”
Ashley’s reply was both heartfelt and determined. She wrote, “You’re your daughter’s best advocate! I edited out a lot of my mom’s commentary but she was sooooo mad. I hate to admit that checking off the accommodation box on a flight will not get your daughter the accommodations she needs.” She added, “I plan to change that!!” In response to another comment, Ashley states that she plans to become a lawyer soon.
But Frontier Airlines has a completely different version of events
According to the New York Post, a representative for the airline said, “According to the flight attendant directly involved in the matter, the passenger boarded with an open container which she admitted contained alcohol when questioned. When the flight attendant informed the passenger of the violation, the passenger rapidly consumed the remaining alcohol in the cup before handing it over.”
Frontier also disputed Ashley’s claim that she’s deaf, stating that there was no indication of a disability on her ticket. The airline added, “According to various personnel who interacted with the passenger, she was clearly and effectively conversing with them during interactions.”
However, in Ashley’s earlier videos on Tiktok, she’s been open about her hearing loss. In a December post, she shared her journey of discovering she was going deaf in her 20s. She even mentioned considering cochlear implant surgery but backing out at the last minute after realizing it would destroy her remaining natural hearing.
The airline’s response raises more questions
If Ashley’s ticket didn’t list her as deaf, why did her mom insist in the video that it did? And if Frontier’s version is true, why did the gate agents apologize to Ashley when she was rebooking? The situation is messy, and the conflicting accounts make it hard to know exactly what happened. What is clear, though, is that this isn’t an isolated incident. Airlines have a long history of mishandling disability accommodations, and stories like Ashley’s keep popping up.
The bigger issue here is how airlines train their staff on disability awareness. Ashley’s video isn’t just about one bad experience; it’s about a systemic problem. If a passenger’s disability is clearly marked on their ticket, there’s no excuse for staff to ignore it. Frontier’s claim that Ashley was removed for alcohol also doesn’t explain why the flight attendant in the video seemed unaware of her deafness, despite her mom repeatedly pointing it out.
For now, Ashley’s story has struck a nerve with thousands of people, many of whom have faced similar discrimination. Her determination to advocate for change is inspiring, especially as she prepares to become a lawyer. Disability accommodations are a necessity, and passengers deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
(Featured images: Ashley @legallyswiftie13 on TikTok)
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