Texas musician Cody Blackbird just hit a frustrating reality tied to his disability. While attempting to fly from Dallas to Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Southwest Airlines, he found himself removed from the flight after requesting a reasonable disability accommodation. The situation has since gained significant traction online, with his posts on Instagram and Facebook racking up over 250,000 views as he highlights the lack of awareness regarding federal disability rights.
The issue began when Blackbird placed his carry-on and backpack in the overhead bin. He explained that he requires the space under the seat in front of him due to a specific medical need. When a flight attendant asked him to move his backpack under the seat, he informed the crew that he had an “ADA” reason to keep the space clear. He also told the crew he was not comfortable discussing his private medical information in front of a full plane.
According to his account, the crew initially acknowledged his request. However, moments before takeoff, he was deplaned for allegedly not following crew member instructions. In the video, he captures his conversation with the Southwest supervisor: “So I was declined because Southwest feels they don’t have to adhere to ADA policy. So I have a reasoning, a medical reasoning, that that bag cannot go in front of my seat. And I was denied boarding for that reason. Is that what you’re saying?” The staff member replied, “That’s what I was advised.”
A frustrating conversation
Now, it should be noted that the entire video is from Blackbird’s perspective, even though he captures some conversations. It should be treated as verified fact. As he strolled through the airport, he summarized the situation. He claimed that after the two flight attendants questioned him about his disability and he was deplaned, the supervisor came and backed him.
The supervisor allegedly told Blackbird that he should never have been deplaned and that he should never have been asked to place his backpack under the seat because ADA supersedes airline policy for able-bodied customers. Despite this confirmation from the supervisor, Blackbird was still forced to miss his original flight and experienced a five-hour delay. He captured the Gate check agent telling him, “They were uncomfortable flying with you, sir.”
Blackbird alleged that when the supervisor spoke to the flight attendants, their stories did not match. So the supervisor allegedly told him, “I’m not restricting you from flying Southwest, but they don’t want you to fly with them.” Recently, an adaptive athlete took to Instagram to share a similar situation. He requested reasonable accommodation at work to make doctor’s appointments, only for HR to seemingly threaten his job.
In the caption of his post, Blackbird wrote, “I’m sharing this because no one should have to choose between protecting their health, their privacy, and being able to travel. Disability accommodations exist for a reason, and I hope sharing my experience helps bring awareness to how situations like this should be handled with dignity and respect.”
In the comments, some users questioned the necessity of the accommodation, noting that he seemed to be walking fine. Others, including a former Southwest customer service agent, pointed out that the flight crew appeared to be in the wrong. In a different instance, an LA woman was allegedly refused wheelchair access on a bus. In her case, the city took action by sending the driver for additional training,
Blackbird later provided a follow-up video to address those questioning his disability. He explained that he was born with a hemangioma and has undergone 15 surgeries on his leg, which left him with significant scar tissue and blood flow issues.
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This condition makes him susceptible to blood clots, and his doctors have instructed him to ensure he has ample room to stretch his leg to avoid complications. He also rolled up his pants to show his viewers the difference between his legs.
Blackbird wrote, “No person should ever have to explain their medical history in this much detail simply to justify why they need a reasonable accommodation.” He also mentioned that he has been a professional musician traveling internationally for 20 years and has never previously encountered an issue when requesting to keep the area under his seat clear for medical reasons.
The aftermath has been difficult for the musician. He reported that when he tried to file a complaint, Southwest disconnected his calls twice. He noted that the agents sounded distraught and taken aback before the calls were dropped. While Southwest has reportedly filed his complaint with one of their Complaint Resolution Officials, who were apologetic, the experience has left a sour taste for Blackbird.
As he put it, “This is embarrassing. This is wrong. I’ve done nothing wrong, just trying to make it to Tulsa.”
