A “plus-size” social media influencer recently claimed that an airport worker in Washington refused to push her in a wheelchair up the jet bridge because of her size. As a result, the influencer was gasping for air when she was forced to walk off the plane on her own, according to the New York Post.
The report said Jae’lynn Chaney had asked for “wheelchair assistance” during a trip to Sea-Tac International Airport in Washington. The plan was to have the worker roll the 27-year-old influencer through the airport.
‘This is discrimination. NoBODY should be treated this way.’
As a result, the influencer posted her experience to TikTok.
“I’m a plus-size wheelchair user and on a recent flight to the Sea-Tac airport, I requested wheelchair assistance, as I always do,” the narration said on Chaney’s post. “When it came time for me to deplane, I saw the employee who would be assisting me with my wheelchair waiting for me in the entry of the jet bridge.”
@jaebaeofficial Wasn’t sure when I’d share this, but staying silent isn’t an option anymore. If you’ve faced something similar, you’re not alone. Discrimination is real, and I don’t want anyBODY else to ever experience something like this. I don’t plan on stopping the fight for change in the travel industry and beyond. EveryBODY deserves respect and dignity, regardless of size, ability, or any other factor. Let’s stand together to ensure equality for all. • • • #BodyEqualityInTravel #TravelForAll #AccessForAll #PlusSize #PlusSizeTravel #FlyingWhileFat #TravelingWhileFat #FlyingWhilePlusSize #PlusSizeTravelPetition
Chaney, who has more than 135,000 followers on the controversial platform, claimed that the Washington airport worker suddenly walked away from the plane when she saw Chaney get off the plane, according to the social media post.
Chaney claimed that “[a]s I approached her and she realized she’d be assisting me and not one of the smaller passengers she started to walk away with the wheelchair while making comments about my size.”
The twist is that Chaney is actually able to walk. But she said she was “blatantly ignored” by the worker, which forced her to walk up “one of the longest jet bridges I’ve encountered.”
The lengthy walk apparently required a lot of energy, because Chaney said she was on the verge of fainting after making the journey without any assistance.
“By the time she let me reach the wheelchair and sit down my lips were white, my oxygen levels had dropped, and I almost fainted,” Chaney recalled.
The New York Post reported that they have reached out to airport for comment. Chaney also noted that this was the first time she had traveled without oxygen in four years.
“This woman just assumed I could walk and would rather me do that instead of her having to push someone plus-size up the jet bridge. All the other attendants wheeled their passengers up the jet bridge but my needs were disregarded,” Chaney claimed.
“This is discrimination. NoBODY should be treated this way.”
Chaney has to purchase an additional seat each time she travels due to her size. She was criticized in June 2023 because she demanded passengers pay fees so she can have the extra room for herself.
“If you’ve faced something similar, you’re not alone. Discrimination is real, and I don’t want anyBODY else to ever experience something like this,” Chaney concluded.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!