NEW YORK (PIX11) -- A mobility-impaired woman is speaking out about an incident at JFK Airport that she said left her feeling "threatened and harmed." Xian Horn spoke to PIX11's Eileen Lehpamer in a story you'll see only on PIX11 News.
Horn uses converted ski poles as her walking aids instead of traditional crutches or a walker. She says she's flown hundreds of times with no problem. However, on Nov. 20 at Terminal 5 at JFK, Horn told PIX11 News a TSA Agent told her she couldn't bring the ski poles on the plane with her because they were sporting equipment and needed to be checked.
"My poles are my arms and legs. It was a very terrifying thought to be separated from them. I won't be able to use the bathroom. Someone will have to carry me onto the plane," Horn said.
Horn said she tried to explain to the agent that it was her "assistive device" and legally couldn't be separated from her.
Horn told PIX11 News the TSA Agent yelled "NO, YOU MADE THEM THIS WAY! YOU DID THIS!"
Horn said at this point, because "she was being so aggressive, I said, 'I'd like to see a supervisor,' she said 'I am the supervisor!'"
After a half-hour, Horn said the agent told her another agent was allowing her to take the walking poles on her flight to California.
The U.S. Department of Transportation website defines an assistive device as "... any piece of equipment that assists a passenger with a disability in coping with the effects of his or her disability."
It includes, "but is not limited to crutches, canes, walkers, braces and prosthetics."
PIX11 News spoke with Neil Romano, the former chairman of the National Council on Disability about assistive devices when it comes to the TSA, also considering security concerns on board a plane.
"You have to have a little bit of common sense. You've got to make a decision. Is this sincere? Is this device being used for what they're saying?," Romano said. "I think every American could use a little more training in disability understanding and disability etiquette."
Horn said that's ultimately what she would like too.
"I don't want this lady fired, but I'd like her properly trained. I want to make sure this never happens to anyone else. Nobody deserves to feel the way I felt in that moment," Horn said.
Horn filed a formal complaint with the TSA, and PIX11 News brought the incident to the attention of a TSA spokeswoman. Lisa Farbstein said it has been referred to the head of JFK Security for a review and that the TSA will reach out to Horn.
Farbstein added that passengers with special devices can also reach out ahead of time to the TSA Cares Program to have a passenger support specialist assigned to them.
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