What should have been a dream Hawaii vacation ended in shock and disbelief for an Arizona man, raising concerns for travelers with special needs or essential equipment.
Flying to Hawaii already presents complexities.
But for visitors relying on extra support or mobility devices, this recent airline mishap highlights new alarms about how badly things can still go wrong and how easily these issues should be avoided.
One Hawaii visitor, Sam Shivers from Arizona, learned that lesson firsthand.
Paralyzed from the chest down, he was returning from Kona to Phoenix on American Airlines.
However, upon landing, his essential wheelchair—his only means of independent movement—was nowhere to be found.
It had been left behind in Hawaii and rerouted through Los Angeles instead.
While the story is starting to gain national attention, its impact cuts even deeper for Hawaii visitors.
What happened to Shivers was not merely bad luck; it exposed a reality that few travelers realize until it’s too late: Hawaii flights come with specific risks for those who can’t afford mistakes.
The decision that changed everything for Shivers was a preventable one.
Reports indicate that American Airlines employees in Kona informed Shivers’ family that limited cargo space led them to prioritize standard passenger baggage over essential mobility equipment, ultimately leaving behind not only Shivers’ wheelchair, but also another mobility device and his needed stroller.
As a result, Shivers was forced to rely on an airport transport chair to reach his vehicle once he landed.
His wheelchair would not reach him for several hours.
“This isn’t just luggage,” Shivers stated later.
“Without my chair, I can’t move.”
Travelers with mobility devices face real challenges when flying to and from Hawaii that most passengers never encounter.
Smaller airports in Hawaii, such as Kona and Lihue, primarily operate narrow-body aircraft that have limited cargo space.
When combined with longer-haul flights packed with passenger baggage, essential mobility equipment can easily be left behind.
Previously, Beat of Hawaii reported on this escalating concern in an article about accessibility for flights to Hawaii.
Although new federal rules will eventually require more accessible onboard facilities, those changes are still years away—and none of them would have prevented the issue faced by Shivers.
This incident was not about lavatories or aisle chairs; it was about what happens before the plane even leaves the ground.
Sadly, Shivers’ situation is not an isolated incident.
According to federal data, airlines in the U.S. mishandled nearly 11,000 wheelchairs and scooters in 2023 alone.
The airline involved in Shivers’ case, American Airlines, was fined $50 million in just one year for repeatedly failing passengers with disabilities, damaging mobility devices, or delaying their return.
Yet for travelers going to Hawaii, the personal impact feels magnified due to the relatively long domestic flights, being far from home, and flying into and out of smaller Hawaii airports—all of which coincide with the necessity of essential equipment, which cannot be optional.
For those relying on mobility aids, here’s what to consider before your next trip to Hawaii:
First, contact the airline directly well in advance of your flight.
Request written confirmation that your mobility devices will travel on the same plane as you.
Arrive early and make your needs clear during check-in about the importance of your device.
Familiarize yourself with your rights under the Air Carrier Access Act.
If possible, consider traveling with a simple repair kit or tools for minor adjustments.
Always have a backup plan—at the very least, familiarize yourself with local resources at your Hawaii destination.
While these preparation steps can help, it’s important to note that the responsibility still largely belongs to the airlines.
This isn’t just about better preparation from travelers; it’s equally about improved performance from the airlines.
Interestingly, the editors at Beat of Hawaii know of a friend who has flown to Hawaii multiple times using the same airline with essential mobility devices, and those items have consistently been boarded without incident.
They’ve also received courteous and attentive help at their Hawaii airport—in this instance, Lihue.
For Shivers, what was supposed to be a dream trip to Hawaii ending in frustration, fear, and a grueling reminder of how vulnerable travel can be for those relying on mobility devices.
The crucial question remains: what happens next, and will airlines serving Hawaii step up to do better?
image source from：https://beatofhawaii.com/major-mistake-on-hawaii-flight-strands-visitor-and-raises-alarm/
