The distressing story of Mohan Karki’s elderly parents highlights a significant failure of duty among major airlines when it comes to the care of vulnerable travellers. On February 23, while attempting to traverse the Vancouver airport as part of their journey from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Edmonton, the couple found themselves without assistance for nearly half a day. This incident raises important questions about the responsibilities of airlines in ensuring the safety and well-being of passengers requiring special assistance.
Mohan Karki’s parents, Chhaya and Narayan Karki, aged 66 and 69, don’t speak English and require assistance for travel. After they were dropped off at a service counter, they remained unattended for nearly 12 hours. “We were thinking they were somewhere in the corner of the airport… not knowing where to go,” said Karki, emphasizing the confusion and distress experienced by his parents. They attempted to communicate with passersby but were met with silence, possibly due to the language barrier.
When Karki realized that his parents were not on their connecting flight, he spent hours trying to trace them. With no cell phone communication available to them, he became increasingly worried. “For about six or seven hours, I kept on calling both airlines, but they never found my parents,” he said. Not until he contacted the RCMP were his parents located, just steps from the WestJet customer service counter where they had initially been dropped off.
Cathay Pacific, which was initially responsible for transporting the couple, claimed they had delivered the Karkis to WestJet, leaving the latter with the responsibility to take them to their connecting flight. This inter-airline blame game not only deepens Karki’s frustration but sheds light on a systemic issue regarding accessibility services in airlines. David Lepofsky, who advocates for individuals with disabilities, criticized the lack of uniform standards for assistance services, stating, “It is appalling treatment … the regulator should make it clear that [airlines] can’t pass the buck to each other.”
Similar Stories of Neglect
This incident is not an isolated case. Thanh Phan shares a similar experience involving his 76-year-old mother, Niem Thi Le, who faced abandonment in a wheelchair at the Vancouver airport for eight hours after being dropped off at the wrong gate. “My mom told me that the wheelchair attendant just left her there without talking to anyone,” Phan recounted, underscoring the humanity of the situation that evaporated in a corporate culture of blame and neglect.
The apparent negligence faced by both the Karkis and Le illustrates a troubling trend in airline practices regarding passengers who require assistance. Both families reported unhelpful responses from airline staff when seeking urgent care for their relatives. Despite acknowledging the severity of their experiences, the airlines involved have yet to outline any productive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
A Call for Change
The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) recognizes the outdated regulations involving airline responsibilities towards passengers needing assistance. Lepofsky points out that the existing framework allows for considerable uncertainty, leaving passengers vulnerable to neglect. Under proposed new regulations, penalties for non-compliance could reach up to $25,000, escalating to a maximum of $250,000 if additional laws pass. With these changes, airlines would be compelled to ensure a proper handoff of passengers who require aid, emphasizing accountability and a human touch in service.
Scott Streiner, chair and CEO of the CTA, has made clear that these new regulations aim to prevent passengers from getting lost between the cracks of airline responsibilities and would impose stricter requirements for care and support. Airlines would need to guarantee a designated area for individuals requiring assistance, complete with staff available to meet their needs periodically.
As the Karki family looks forward to future visits, Mohan has expressed his intent not to leave his parents solely reliant on airline care again. Instead, he plans to coordinate their travel with others who speak their language, showcasing a proactive approach to circumventing the pitfalls of airline services. Meanwhile, Phan’s mother remains apprehensive about future travel plans, reflecting the profound emotional impacts these incidents have had on both families.
