Getting kicked off a flight is humiliating under any circumstances. Getting kicked off because you physically couldn’t hear instructions because of a documented disability—and having it happen in front of a full plane—is something else entirely.
A video from a Frontier Airlines passenger is sparking serious backlash, and now there’s a lawyer involved. Who do you think was in the wrong?
Were This Woman’s Rights Violated?
In a viral TikTok with more than 2 million views, content creator Ashley Grey (@legallyswiftie13) sits in her seat on a Frontier Airlines flight, visibly distressed and tearful.
“Frontier Airlines kicked me off a flight because I’m deaf. What is the point of listing that you’re deaf on your ticket when Frontier refuses to accommodate?” the text overlay on the video reads.
A second overlay adds that despite a gate agent seen in the footage advocating for her accommodations, the flight crew doubled down and removed her anyway.
The video picks up mid-confrontation. Ashley’s mother asks from behind the camera, “How dare that woman?” She’s referring to the flight attendant who wanted to get Grey kicked off.
A gate agent defends Ashley directly, pointing out that her disability is listed on her reservation. The crew doesn’t budge.
Ashley holds it together as much as she can but starts to cry and says it’s embarrassing to get kicked off when she didn’t do anything wrong.
There’s a gate agent waiting to escort her off, and Grey points out that she’s “not resisting.”
“I don’t want them to say I’m resisting leaving or anything. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s so embarrassing,” she says.
In her caption, Ashley says that when she went to rebook, gate agents apologized for the flight attendant’s behavior, and called on Frontier to train staff on disability accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing passengers.
Frontier’s Version
Frontier Airlines told multiple outlets a very different story. According to the airline, Ashley was not removed for failing to respond to a flight attendant. The airlines said she was removed for boarding with an open container of alcohol, which she allegedly admitted contained alcohol when questioned.
The airline says she then “rapidly consumed” the remaining drink before handing over the container, and per People, the cup was reportedly affixed with a sticker warning that federal law prohibits carrying that alcoholic beverage on board. Bringing an open container on board, Frontier noted, violates both company policy and federal law.
The airline also disputed that her disability was ever noted on her reservation. “There was no indication on the passenger’s reservation that she is deaf or has any form of disability,” a spokesperson told The Daily Beast, adding that staff who interacted with her reported she “was clearly and effectively conversing with them during interactions.” Frontier says she was rebooked on a later flight.
Ashley’s attorney, Andrew Rozynski—a partner at Eisenberg & Baum and co-director of the firm’s Law Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing—called the airline’s version fabricated.
“Frontier had a choice between accountability and attack,” Rozynski said in a press release. “It chose to go to national media with a fabricated alcohol story that every witness and the video itself contradict, and to publicly deny a disability that its own booking system and its own gate agent had already confirmed.”
He has said a lawsuit will be filed in New York if Frontier does not retract its statement.
What The Law Says
Under the Air Carrier Access Act, it is illegal for airlines to discriminate against passengers on the basis of disability. Per the U.S. Department of Transportation, airlines may not refuse to transport a person because of a disability. The only exception is if carrying the passenger would pose a direct safety threat. If an airline does exclude a passenger with a disability on safety grounds, it is required to provide a written explanation of that decision.
The DOT’s Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights also requires airline staff who interact with passengers to be trained to recognize and accommodate disability-related needs. Per the National Association of the Deaf, passengers must self-identify their hearing disability to airline personnel if they want to receive accessible communication—after which the airline is obligated to ensure they have prompt access to the same information provided to all other passengers.
Commenters React
“This is unacceptable!!” a top comment read.
“Congratulations on the winning of your law suit! I have & will NEVER fly Frontier Airlines,” a person said.
“Can we all normalize standing up for each other – safety in numbers,” another wrote.
“Please get an ADA lawyer. Do not let this go,” a commenter added.
@legallyswiftie13 I was removed from a flight because I am deaf. When I went to rebook, the gate agents apologized for the flight attendant’s behavior. @Frontier Airlines please train your flight attendants on disability accommodations, specifically when somebody is deaf/hard of hearing. #deaf #disability #discriminationawareness
BroBible reached out to Ashley Grey via TikTok direct message and Frontier Airlines via email for comment. We’ll be sure to update this if they respond.