Passenger Latavia Sturdivant said the incident, which occurred on a flight from South Dakota to New York, has impacted her advocacy work
CBS New York/YouTube
NEED TO KNOW
- Delta Air Lines has issued an apology after a passenger claimed her wheelchair was damaged during a recent flight from South Dakota to New York
- Latavia Sturdivant reportedly said the damage done to her motorized wheelchair has impacted her advocacy work and has left her in physical and emotional pain
- The airline told PEOPLE they will pay for her wheelchair repairs in full and they are taking the steps to “better understand” how the incident occurred
Delta Air Lines has issued an apology after a passenger said her motorized wheelchair was seriously damaged during a recent flight.
Latavia Sturdivant — who holds the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2026 and travels around the country for her advocacy work — said she was returning home to New York from an adaptive ski event in South Dakota when she discovered her customized wheelchair was damaged, according to reports from CBS New York, ABC 7 and News 12.
Sturdivant said replacement parts and the vendors that sell them are limited, and her “life is put on hold” as a result of the damages, per CBS New York.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, a Delta spokesperson said: “Delta understands the fundamental impact that any damaged mobility aid has on an individual and their daily life. We sincerely apologize for this customer's experience that did not live up to our standards, and we are in touch with them to ensure we make things right.”
Describing the alleged damages to News 12, Sturdivant explained that the “joystick is completely off” and “the back of the chair was open.” She added, “So, the box was open, it's being held on by two screws. The foot plates were bent and this lateral over here is cracked in half.”
Sturdivant added that without her wheelchair working properly, she can’t leave her home, the outlet reports. According to Ms. Wheelchair America’s official website, Sturdivant is “making history as the first national titleholder from New York” and is working to spread awareness about the "experiences of people who are ably different."
The aftermath of the incident has also reportedly caused her physical and emotional pain: "There is no other chair that I can use because it keeps my body in proper alignment, prevents me from having contractions and so Delta needs to do better in taking proper care of our wheelchairs," she told ABC 7.
Sturdivant reportedly filed a claim with Delta after discovering the damages, but an employee for the airline allegedly told her that a family member could just push the mobility device in the meantime, according to News 12.
She recalled to the outlet how that was not a possibility: "My mom was like, 'I can't push this. This weighs 300-400 pounds. I can't push it. We better hope it can drive.' At first, it wasn't driving at all.”
Sturdivant added, "It's devastating to me that people don't understand that once this breaks down, because this is my legs, my whole life is altered."
PEOPLE has reached out to Sturdivant for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
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In addition to the apology shared with PEOPLE, the Delta spokesperson said they “take reports of damage seriously” and are working with their airport teams to “better understand how it occurred.”
The airline also claims they offered loaner device options that were allegedly declined by Sturdivant who said they could not meet her specialized needs.
Delta will cover the cost of the repairs in full, the spokesperson confirmed, and they are currently waiting on an assessment of the damaged wheelchair from Sturdivant’s preferred vendor.
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