Heartbreaking story behind disturbing photo of airline passenger
A shocking image has emerged of an airline passenger tied to a chair and the passenger’s son has revealed the heartbreaking truth behind it.
Nathan Saliagas claims Delta Airlines “decided to physically and emotionally abuse” his mother, Maria, on a flight from Atlanta to Amsterdam on April 1. He added his mother suffers from multiple sclerosis.
“The Delta employee thought it would be appropriate to tie my mother with someone else’s dirty blanket, in such a way it has left bruise marks on her arms,” he wrote on Facebook
“When she started crying, she was told to ‘shut the f*** up’ or she will be ‘left there’.”
He added Delta’s treatment of his mother was “highly inhumane and disgusting”, “unacceptable” and there needs to be change.
Mr Saliagas told WSB-TV Atlanta his parents travel to Europe annually and he normally organises the flights. He said he made sure Delta has the proper wheelchair for his mum because she can’t sit up on her own.
But when they landed in Amsterdam, that chair wasn’t available. It’s at this point he claims she was tied to a chair, which left her with bruising.
Mr Saliagas now wants the airline to change its approach to disability services.
Delta Airline spokesman Anthony Black said the airline regrets “the perception” its service has left on Mr Saliagas and his parents.
He added the airline has reached out to them.
They’ve since been offered 20,000 free SkyMiles, but the family want a change to the policy.