American Airlines apologizes for denying cancer patient wheelchair

One thing you definitely don’t want to do to improve your reputation is treat cancer patients badly. That’s unfortunately the lesson American Airlines is learning, after denying passenger Lisa Love a wheelchair on an April flight from San Diego to Dallas.

After undergoing a treatment in San Diego for leukemia, she returned to the airport for the flight back home feeling weak and in enough pain to request a wheelchair from the American Airlines’ agent at check-in. To her surprise, Love told ABC, the response was ,“Oh, you look fine to me.”

“I didn’t I know how to take it,” she added, and informed the agent that she was returning from a cancer treatment and needed help, but not even that was enough soften a heart clearly two sizes too small, and no wheelchair arrived. Perhaps more shocking is when the event was repeated upon arrival in Dallas, where yet again American Airlines refused to provide a wheelchair to help her off the plane. “The lady at the counter by the gate said, 'I don’t have you on my list.'”

After initial coverage of the incident, American Airlines apologized. Andrea Huegley, communications director for American Airlines, to Fox News:

“Unfortunately Miss Love did not receive the assistance she needed. We are working with her, and everyone else involved, to rectify the situation.”

For Love, the goal is not the apology. “I just don't want them to do this to other people,” she said.