WestJet ordered to scrap wheelchair weight cap

Canada's transport regulator has ordered WestJet to abandon a 300-pound weight cap on power wheelchairs, ruling it an "undue barrier" for disabled travelers. The Canadian Transportation Agency stated the airline must implement "spreader plates" to better distribute the wheelchair's weight in the cargo hold and arrange alternative travel with other carriers until July 2027.

Former federal minister of state for transport Steven Fletcher, who brought the case, argues the weight limit has discriminated against people with disabilities and curtailed air travel in parts of the country. Fletcher was recently stopped from flying with his custom wheelchair on a Winnipeg to Toronto flight, leading to painful and pressure sore complications.

WestJet maintains the cap is necessary for flight safety and was based on a technical analysis of its Boeing-made planes' cargo hold limits. However, other major North American airlines do not maintain such low caps for similar aircraft. Advocates stress the severe impact on mobility for power wheelchair users, who rely on their devices as extensions of their bodies.