Phoenix Suns athletes call for federal intervention into Southwest airlines scandal

Phoenix, Arizona: Members of the Phoenix Suns wheelchair basketball team are calling for federal intervention after what they describe as significant mishandling of their wheelchairs by Southwest Airlines during an April tournament. The athletes allege the airline failed to properly accommodate them at three different airports, causing equipment damage, delays, and public embarrassment.

The incident initially drew attention when Southwest Airlines reportedly removed the wheels from more than 50 wheelchairs, leaving them unusable and requiring hours of reassembly. In addition, the athletes claim that their bags were mishandled, with 30 pieces of luggage failing to arrive on time. Although Southwest has since issued an apology, many athletes feel this response falls short of addressing the systemic issues they encountered.

Myranda Shields, a member of the team, recently filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation (DOT), accusing Southwest Airlines of violating federal laws related to the treatment of passengers with disabilities. She argues that the airline’s actions warrant more than just an apology, calling for financial penalties to ensure meaningful change.

"An official fine and citation is going to be better than an apology," Shields told 12 News. "We've been hearing these apologies for years."

The complaint details the deplaning process, during which Southwest allegedly made loudspeaker announcements blaming delays on the large number of wheelchairs being transported, which the athletes argue caused public embarrassment.

Last month, the Department of Transportation fined American Airlines a record $50 million for similar violations involving the mistreatment of disabled passengers and mishandling of wheelchairs, signaling that such incidents may receive greater scrutiny.

Southwest Airlines acknowledged the incident, explaining that managers at two airports had not properly planned for matching wheels to the corresponding wheelchairs, leading to delays. The airline has since promised improvements, noting that they have implemented new training protocols in response. Shields, however, contends that one team member's damaged wheelchair has yet to be replaced by the airline.

The athletes have also offered to personally train Southwest employees on proper wheelchair handling. Shields noted that while Southwest has shown improved service in Phoenix, issues persist at other locations.

"We have been treated amazing [in Phoenix]," Shields told 12 News, "but at other airports, it’s been the same thing. We haven’t had a debacle as bad as we did in April, but there’s still work to be done."