Actress Marissa Bode, known for playing Nessarose in the film adaptations of “Wicked”, filed a complaint against Southern Airways after stating that she was prevented from boarding a flight because she is a wheelchair user, despite the fact that Her representative had previously consulted with the company.

Bode took to the social media platform TikTok to express her outrage. "I was denied boarding on a flight because I am disabled. I wish it was a sensationalist headline. I wish it were false, but that's what happened," the actress stated.

According to her account, the incident occurred during a connecting flight with Southern Airways, an airline she described as “extremely small.” Bode explained that she didn't have many options to reach her destination, a small town in Pennsylvania. Upon arriving at the gate, she asked two employees for help locating her e-boarding pass. "The two people at the gate looked at me and asked, 'Can you stand up?' I said no. And they replied, 'We're sorry, but that's why we can't board,'” the actress recounted. The employees explained that all of that airline's plans have stairs for boarding, which Bode described as “unbelievable,” as she had never heard of such a thing. The actress also reported that her manager contacted Southern Airways before booking the flight to confirm they could make the necessary arrangements for her wheelchair, and the airline assured her there would be no problem. Frustrated by what happened, Bode criticized the situation: "Why do we keep waiting until a person with a disability is present to even think about changing things or making accommodations? People with disabilities are not an afterthought." And she declared: “This is clear discrimination.”

Response to the complaint

After her first video went viral, Bode shared that the director of the mobility department at Southern Airways contacted her. "They called me. The director was very embarrassed. She apologized profusely and was very understanding, which I greatly appreciate," the actress noted. She added that the airline is conducting an internal investigation into how the incident occurred,Especially since they had called in advance to inquire about accommodations, and that they are still in contact with her to improve in the future.