A disabled traveler who posts on TikTok as Birdie (@birdiecda) said she was left alone on a jet bridge after a United flight from the United States to Canada. One of her TikTok videos reached 1.6 million views, 186,400 likes, and 2,800 comments. On-screen text in that video read, “United locked me in the jet bridge, alone for 30 minutes waiting for a wheelchair wtf @unitedairlines.”
Birdie said in the video, “I don’t think you’re gonna believe this because I’m shaking because I’m not believing it.” She told viewers flying United that if they are disabled, they will need to make sure their reservation has a wheelchair all the way through. She said she was stuck on the jet bridge with the plane closed, all by herself, with nowhere to sit.
She said she was waiting and hoping someone would come help her. She added, “Do better, United. Come on.” In later videos, she said she had reached Vancouver and was no longer stuck on the jet bridge.
Birdie said a gate agent told flight attendants the wheelchair was not on her reservation
Birdie said in a follow-up video on TikTok that it took about an hour from the time she deplaned to the time she got assistance. She said she was locked on the jet bridge by herself for about 25 minutes. She described the wait as extremely scary and said she hoped nobody else had to go through that.
She said she had double-checked with the flight attendants on her flight. She said they told her they had requested a wheelchair from the gate agent and that it was supposedly on her reservation. She said the gate agent claimed it was not. She added that they ended up in a mess at midnight.
In a follow-up TikTok video captioned “The full story,” Birdie said she was on an international flight alone as a disabled passenger and had a connecting flight. She said the connecting flight provided the wheelchair access she had requested, so she did not think there was an issue with that part of her reservation. She said she was in the very last row and it took her a while to get off the plane.
She said the flight attendants were very kind, stored her cane so she had access to it during the flight, and were well aware of her disability. Before deplaning, she said she asked a flight attendant if there was a wheelchair. She said the attendant replied that she had ordered one and it should be waiting. Disabled travelers have reported being left stranded or mistreated by airlines, such as when a Frontier Airlines passenger was called a burden at an Atlanta airport.
Birdie said that when she got there, there was no wheelchair attendant. She said all of her stuff was there, including her walker and her bags. She said the flight attendants were finishing their duties on the plane and that one of them spoke with the gate agent and said she would need a wheelchair to get up the jet bridge.
She said the gate agent replied that it was not on her reservation. Birdie said the flight attendants asked if they could just get her one anyway. She said the gate agent appeared extremely frustrated that she required assistance and did not communicate much with her. She said the flight attendants were told they were not allowed to go to the secured area she would have to go through.
Birdie said the flight attendants ended up having to leave and that they all left together. She said nobody really said anything to her while she waited. She said that from the top of the jet bridge she heard someone say, “I’m gonna have to lock you in here.” She said she was not even sure if the person was talking to her.
She said several minutes went by and there was nobody there. She said she started recording because she was in absolute disbelief and was terrified. She asked what would happen if the jet bridge started moving. She said she requested airport video footage because she has a lot of questions about the incident.
In a TikTok video captioned “The rest of the story,” Birdie said she was locked on the jet bridge for what she estimated as 20 to 30 minutes. She said she does not really know how long it was. She said the gate agent later unlocked the top of the jet bridge and came down with a gentleman who had a wheelchair.
She said she got in the wheelchair and he pushed her through customs all the way to a friend who was anxiously awaiting her arrival. She said the man was very kind, very nice, and even apologized. She said she knew it was not his fault. She said she is safe now but does not want to go back and is scared. She asked if anyone wanted to escort her.
Viewers left comments on the first video. One person who identified as an ex airport worker wrote, “hey! ex airport worker here, its VERY illegal to leave you alone in the jetbridge like that! I would file a DOT complaint and talk to United!!” Another commenter wrote, “HIRE AN ATTORNEY AND SUE.” A third person asked, “isn’t it both a safety and security issue leaving someone in the bridge?”
One commenter wrote, “Crew CANNOT leave you there. It’s part of their job description so in the past a pilot would roll you up to the gate until the airport wheelchair assistance shows up. If they can’t, they can’t leave the plane there.”
United’s website says passengers who need a wheelchair at the airport or onboard can request one in advance in My Trips after buying a ticket, or in the traveler information section when booking. The site says the requested wheelchair can then be picked up at the ticket counter or wheelchair assistance center in the lobby. It lists airport wheelchairs (typically 18 inches wide), aisle wheelchairs for getting to and from a seat during boarding and arrival, and onboard wheelchairs on planes with more than 60 seats.
United also says that it is free to check a personal wheelchair or mobility device in addition to checked bags, including manual and electric wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes, and crutches, whether folding or not. It says passengers should tell the airline they have a device before arriving at the airport. How to do that depends on whether a flight has already been booked.
Published: Sep 13, 2026 12:00 pm