Some travelers have found a shameless travel “hack” to skip airport lines: request a wheelchair to board the plane, then walk off at the destination.
This phenomenon of so-called “miracle flights” — where able-bodied travelers ask for a wheelchair to cut security and boarding lines — blurs the line between legitimate disability accommodations and abusing the system.
Earlier this month, during an interview with the Boston public radio station WBUR’s “Breakfast Club,” JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said US law requires airlines to provide wheelchair assistance to passengers who request it at the airport. Airlines generally cannot ask questions beyond logistics or clarity about the assistance request.
However, she said there is a “group of folks that use wheelchairs to get to the front of the line, and not for legitimate reasons.”
The CEO’s comments drew attention to the long-running “miracle flight” tension in air travel that others in aviation say has become all too common in the US and lacks an easy solution.
“We have certain flights that have 23 to 25 customers with wheelchairs, and, frankly, nobody wants to try to address some of those challenges because it’s a very tough situation to navigate, both politically, but also just heart,” Geraghty said.
Not all disabilities are visible, and passengers do not need to use a wheelchair full time to request assistance at the airport. But doing so to bypass airport lines shortchanges people with real mobility issues.
So how do airlines and airport staff police the increasing demands for disability accommodations without unfairly scrutinizing passengers with legitimate — and often invisible — disabilities?
Michele Erwin, the founder and president of the advocacy nonprofit All Wheels Up, told Business Insider that there are few solutions.
She said she’s seen firsthand how airlines discuss the abuse behind the scenes and are doing their best to tackle it within the law, but there is virtually no way to verify who does or does not have a disability without asking for legally protected information.
She added that each wheelchair push is an expense for the airlines, so they lose money every time someone abuses the system: “It’s not great for either side; we’re all living in a gray area.”
Industry leaders have called out the misuse for years. Former Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle said in 2024 that the ultra-low-cost airline was seeing a “massive, rampant abuse” of special services. He said it costs $30 to $35 per wheelchair request.
The ex-CEO of London’s Heathrow Airport similarly said in 2022 that some travelers were using wheelchair assistance to “fast-track” through airports after seeing it recommended on TikTok.
Several reports say Southwest’s former open-seating system — where boarding order was determined by check-in time — may have incentivized some passengers to request wheelchair assistance in order to secure a better seat.
However, Erwin warned that efforts to police abuse could actually risk creating new problems for passengers who rely on wheelchairs, especially for reasons not related to mobility.
For example, she said some people who board with a wheelchair but then walk off the plane may be mobile but need help navigating a big, unfamiliar airport. Or they may be someone who has been flying for 24 hours across time zones and is simply exhausted.
So, she said, referring to these individuals as having experienced a medical miracle in-flight ignores the broader context.
Retired Delta captain Mark Stephens told Business Insider that he’s aware wheelchair abuse happens, but similarly warned people should not start questioning anyone in the airport using one, on the off chance that they might be lying.
“Many people are disabled with things we cannot see,” he said.
Flying with a disability is already tricky enough
The wheelchair abuse — and potential backfiring of trying to police it — is on top of a system that is already hard enough for people with disabilities.
Geraghty acknowledged the shortfalls during the interview, saying, “In general, I don’t think the airline industry does a great job with our customers with disabilities.”
Transportation Department data shows that there were about 43,500 disability-related complaints among all US airlines in 2024.
More than half of the complaints were about failure to provide wheelchair service, such as insufficient staff or leaving someone behind. This may be partly due to the increase in wheelchair abuse, which takes workers away from those who truly need assistance.
But Erwin said part of the problem also stems from travelers not notifying the airline in advance that they will need wheelchair assistance.
She said airports can sometimes be overwhelmed by unexpected last-minute wheelchair requests, leaving staff stretched too thin and resulting in slower or worse service. “That’s where All Wheels Up comes in,” Erwin said. “To educate the community.”
Passengers can typically request a wheelchair during the booking process or add it later. The airlines are responsible for providing disability access services, but the assistants who perform these duties on their behalf are usually employed by third-party contractors.
Geraghty similarly said that more opportunities to pre-plan would be helpful: “If we could isolate out the folks who truly needed help, I think we could do a far, far, far better job with it.”
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