New Ruling Orders WestJet to Remove Power-Wheelchair Weight Cap
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Canada’s transportation regulator has ordered WestJet to eliminate a policy that limits most mobility aids to 300 pounds, ruling that the restriction creates an undue barrier for passengers with disabilities who rely on heavier power wheelchairs.
The Canadian Transportation Agency said WestJet must remove the 300-pound, or about 136-kilogram, weight limit by July 2027. Until then, the airline has been directed to use measures including spreader plates to distribute the weight of mobility devices more safely in aircraft cargo holds and, where necessary, arrange alternative transportation with other airlines.
The case was brought by Winnipeg resident Steven Fletcher, a former federal minister of state for transport, after WestJet prevented him from travelling with his customized power wheelchair on a Winnipeg-to-Toronto flight in early 2025 because it exceeded the airline’s weight limit.
Fletcher said he had travelled with WestJet for decades using power wheelchairs. On the trip involved in the complaint, he had to use a different wheelchair, which he said caused pain and pressure sores that required medical attention.
WestJet introduced the 300-pound threshold in 2024 following a technical analysis of the maximum allowable weight per square inch in the cargo holds of its Boeing aircraft. The airline had argued that the limit was necessary for flight safety and that accessibility regulations allowed it to refuse heavier mobility aids.
The ruling could have broader implications for travellers who depend on customized electric wheelchairs, many of which exceed WestJet’s limit. Accessibility advocates have argued that restrictions of this kind can effectively prevent some passengers from travelling, particularly on routes where airline choices are limited.
WestJet said it would not comment because parts of the case remain before the regulator. The Canadian Transportation Agency is also expected to issue a final decision on how much advance notice passengers travelling with mobility aids must provide to the airline.
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Tahani Elghazaly5294 Posts
