"Wicked" actor Marissa Bode has alleged disability discrimination against Southern Airways following an incident she described as "blatant segregation."
The 25-year-old said she was barred from a connecting flight to a Pennsylvania speaking engagement on Thursday because she uses a wheelchair.
According to a TikTok video posted by Bode, the confrontation began when she approached gate staff to locate her boarding pass.
Bode alleged that employees immediately questioned her physical capabilities, asking, "Can you stand?" When Bode replied that she could not, she said that staff told her she could not board.
"They proceeded to tell me all the planes within this airline have stairs to get on the plane," Bode stated, describing the experience as "awful" and "wild."
Bode further alleged that staff cited the 35-pound weight of her wheelchair as a secondary complication. This occurred despite Bode's claim that her management had contacted the airline in advance to secure accommodations.
"They fully assured that I would be set for her flight," she said.
Bode, who eventually completed her journey via a 3½-hour drive, described the incident as part of a systemic failure within the travel industry.
"It's so much more than bad communication. It's so much more than a mistake. These are our lives. This is our entire existence you're talking about. My wheelchair is my freedom," Bode said.
She added that "airlines as a whole, once again, do f***ing better."
In a statement to People, Southern Airways said it is investigating the incident, noting the actor’s experience "does not reflect the standard to which we hold ourselves."
A spokesperson stated the carrier has reached out to Bode and will take "appropriate action," including potential revisions to training and internal processes.
The actor noted the emotional toll of the public confrontation. She said, "And of course when I'm crying out of frustration and talking to the people at the gate very firmly, I look like a crazy person. I look like the one that's in the wrong."
The incident highlights regulatory tension between the Air Carrier Access Act and the specific operating limitations of smaller regional carriers.
While the U.S. Department of Transportation mandates that airlines provide "prompt wheelchair or other guided assistance," Southern Airways' contract of carriage includes exemptions.
The airline's policy explicitly states that "customers must be able to ascend and descend several steps to board the aircraft."
Because Southern Airways operates aircraft with 28 seats or fewer, it is not legally required under the Air Carrier Access Act Section 382.97 to provide mechanical lifts.
While portable ramps are sometimes available, the airline said their availability "cannot be guaranteed."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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