Actress Marissa Bode, best known for her role in Wicked, took to TikTok to share what she described as an “awful” experience with Southern Airways Express.
“I was denied boarding a flight because I’m disabled,” she said in the now-viral video.
Bode explained she was traveling to a speaking engagement in a small town in Pennsylvania and had already completed one leg of her trip without any issues. But things took a turn when she approached the gate for her connecting flight and asked for help locating her boarding pass.
According to Bode, the airline staff asked her a question that immediately raised red flags.
“They asked me, ‘Can you stand?’” she recalled. When she said no, she claims they responded by telling her she wouldn’t be allowed to board.
She says staff told her the airline’s planes require passengers to climb stairs to get on board—something she physically cannot do.
“You’re telling me no one who flies your airline is disabled?” she said, clearly frustrated.
Bode went on to call the situation “blatant segregation,” adding that staff also raised concerns about the weight of her wheelchair, which she said is about 35 pounds. She also noted that her team had contacted the airline ahead of time and were assured everything would be handled.
Instead, she says she was left stranded.
With no other option, Bode ended up driving more than three hours to reach her destination.
“It’s always something when I’m flying,” she said, explaining that issues with accessibility are far too common. “My wheelchair is my freedom. This isn’t just an inconvenience—this is my life.”
After her video gained traction, the airline responded with a statement, calling the situation upsetting and saying it does not reflect their standards. They added that an investigation is underway and that they’ve reached out to Bode to address her concerns.
The situation also raises questions about airline accessibility rules under the Air Carrier Access Act, which generally prohibits discrimination against passengers with disabilities and requires airlines to provide assistance during boarding.
However, smaller aircraft—like those used by some regional carriers—can have different requirements. In its policy, Southern Airways notes that passengers must be able to climb steps to board, and mechanical lifts are not always required for smaller planes.
Still, Bode’s experience is striking a nerve online, with many people calling for better accessibility and accountability across the airline industry.
Crash em!