Family with disabled son allegedly forced off Delta flight. Then they realize why they were removed: ‘It is ridiculous’
They were eventually able to get home on another airline.
A family believed they would have no issues boarding a flight based on their previous experiences, only to find themselves allegedly removed from the plane because of a device their son uses to travel. Erin Kasey (@erinkaseytx) shared her experience with Delta Airlines in a TikTok video that has garnered hundreds of thousands of views, detailing the incident that left her in tears.
According to Kasey, the family was flying home from Florida to Atlanta with Delta Airlines and was already inside the plane when they were allegedly “just kicked off” because they couldn’t bring her young son’s electric scooter, which he uses as a mobility device for his achondroplasia, onto the aircraft. Kasey said the reason left her confused, as this was their third Delta flight and the family had successfully traveled with the same scooter on two previous Delta flights earlier that week without any issues.
Achondroplasia is a common genetic condition in which bone growth in the limbs is impaired, disrupting normal development of the spine and skull. Individuals with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, are typically shorter in stature and may have abnormally shaped bones, along with other symptoms associated with the condition. 20% to 50% of children born with achondroplasia also develop neurological issues, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Delta captain allegedly said the device can be placed in cargo
Kasey claimed that flight staff spoke to her husband first, telling him he could relay the information to her afterward. It remains unclear what was said during her husband’s conversation with the staff, but according to Kasey, the staff ultimately decided the family could not remain on the flight. This isn’t the first time a passenger with a disability was removed from a flight; nonetheless, Kasey described the situation: “It is ridiculous.”
In her comments section, Kasey also claimed that the captain of the Delta flight had noticed the family as they were boarding the plane and supposedly said the scooter could be placed in the cargo instead. “Then they let us go to our seat and escorted us [off] later after he told me he was filing paper work to have the device in the cargo area,” Kasey said.
Kasey said the experience of being escorted off the plane had felt “humiliating,” a feeling that echoed with another passenger on a separate flight. “How is a mobility device acceptable on two flights but suddenly a reason to remove a child and his family from another?” Kasey added. “This is not just about a scooter. This is about disability access, consistency, and treating passengers with disabilities with dignity.”
ADA does not require mobility devices to be medical-grade
According to Delta’s policy on mobility devices, the airline permits both manual and battery-operated devices on board. However, passengers using battery-operated mobility devices are required to notify the airline at least 48 hours before their flight with information about the battery type, in order for them to comply with U.S. Federal Dangerous Goods Handling Procedures.
Kasey’s viewers also questioned the legitimacy of her son’s mobility device. One commenter wrote, “This scooter is literally on TikTok Shop for $90, that is not medical grade.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), however, does not require that a mobility device, whether manual or battery-operated, be medical-grade. According to ADA guidance, individuals with disabilities “may use a variety of mobility devices based on their needs.” These include wheelchairs, golf carts, electronic personal mobility devices, and even ATVs, as long as they can be safely used in public spaces.
In an update, Kasey clarified that the lithium battery in her son’s scooter was small enough to meet airline requirements, which she said was why they had been able to board previous flights without issue. Ultimately, Kasey and her family switched to American Airlines, where they were able to board the plane with her son’s scooter without any problems.
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