Travel influencer Jaelynn Chaney is speaking out against Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac), alleging she was denied wheelchair assistance due to her size—a move she calls blatant discrimination.
Chaney, who identifies as a size 6XL, said the ordeal occurred during a May 2024 flight into SeaTac. According to her, an airport staff member assigned to assist her appeared to take one look at her, made a face, and walked away.
“She saw me, made a face, and walked away,” Chaney recounted. “All the other passengers received assistance, but I was left behind.”
Although Chaney is able to walk short distances, she typically requests wheelchair assistance for long treks through airports. She said this incident forced her to walk one of the longest jet bridges she’s ever encountered. By the time she reached a waiting wheelchair, she claims her oxygen levels had dropped, her lips turned white, and she nearly fainted.
@goodmorningbritain Plus-sized travel campaigner Jae’lynn Chaney is calling on airlines to allow bigger passengers an extra seat, free of charge. #Planeseats #Travel #plusize ♬ original sound - GoodMorningBritain
“This was my first time flying without oxygen,” she said. “That employee made assumptions about what I could physically handle and chose not to help. That’s not just bad service—it’s dangerous.”
In her caption, Chaney criticized SeaTac for what she described as a consistent pattern of exclusion:
“If SeaTac refuses to assist fat people, they should put their discrimination in writing,” she wrote. “Instead, they lie, deny services, and leave disabled fat travelers stranded. This is unacceptable, and I will not stay silent.”
A longtime advocate for plus-size travelers, Chaney has used her platform to call for more inclusive policies. In 2023, she launched a petition urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to adopt a standardized “customer of size” policy. Her proposals include complimentary extra seating for larger passengers, accessible seating accommodations, and better training for airline staff.
The petition has garnered over 39,600 signatures, with many supporters sharing personal experiences of discomfort and discrimination while flying.
“After being fat-shamed by a passenger sitting next to me, I no longer fly,” one commenter wrote.
Another added: “I’m tall, and I still leave flights with bruises. Airlines keep shrinking space, but expect us to just deal with it.”
Chaney believes her experience reflects a broader issue of systemic bias in air travel.
“Plus-size passengers face pain, humiliation, and sometimes outright refusal of service,” she said. “That’s not just uncomfortable—it’s discriminatory. We deserve better.”