Too disabled to fly

A Jacksonville man who's confined to a wheelchair said he was not allowed on an airplane because of his disability.Andy Gates has dystonia -- a neuro-muscular disease. He said he should be in Wisconsin, but he is still in Jacksonville because while getting ready to board a U.S. Airways flight on Wednesday airline workers told him they could not let him travel on his own.

"They said I was too disabled to fly alone. I don't have enough words to describe how angry I am," Gates said.

He said he wanted to fly to Wisconsin from Jacksonville. He checked his bags at the ticket counter and waited at the gate to get on the plane, but just before he started to board he said a U.S. Airways employee would not let him on the plane.

"We went to the gate and they told me I could not fly. … not alone," Gates said.

He said after being told he was too disabled to fly he felt outraged and discriminated against.

Gates said that he's flown seven times in the past by himself, even on U.S. Airways, and never had a problem. He said the airline manager told him at the last minute that he could fly if his mother, Patsy Gates, accompanied him.

"He says to me, 'You have six minutes to make a decision on whether to go. You can go with him or he cannot go. You have six minutes,'" she said. "Meanwhile, I am parked in a 30 minutes parking zone, and I'm having surgery tomorrow, and they did not guarantee me a way back."

The airline issued a statement on Thursday stating: "U.S. Airways personnel determined that (Gates) would not be able to assist in his own evacuation in the event of an emergency. We feel that our employees acted appropriately and followed both company and federal policy in this situation."

The Department of Transportation handles complaints like that of Gates. There is a law in place that says a person with mobility impairment so severe that they are unable to assist evacuation can be denied travel.

However, Gates said he can move and demonstrated that he is able to get into his chair. He said he offered to show that to the airline. He said he could control his legs and arms. "I have a college degree. I am completely intelligent. I can make my own decisions. I don't know why I was denied," Gates said.

The airline said it would refund Gates' money, but it could take several days. Gates took another flight on a different airline on Saturday.