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Southwest Passenger Undergoing Chemotherapy Claims The Airline’s Gate Agents Physically Attacked Him When He Tried Purchasing An Extra Seat Because He Didn’t ‘Look’ Disabled

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Southwest Passenger Undergoing Chemotherapy Claims The Airline’s Gate Agents Physically Attacked Him When He Tried Purchasing An Extra Seat Because He Didn’t ‘Look’ Disabled


A man undergoing chemotherapy treatment was physically assaulted by a Southwest gate agent after he tried to purchase a second seat for himself.

He was reportedly refused the accommodation because he didn’t appear to have a disability.

The man claimed that the gate agents physically attacked him when he tried booking a second seat for himself since he ‘didn’t look disabled.’

David Ford from Avon, Connecticut, recently filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines after an unpleasant experience at a Dallas airport.

According to Avon, who was battling cancer and undergoing chemotherapy at the time, he was physically assaulted by a gate agent who refused to allow him an extra seat per Southwest’s extra-seat policy.

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Tyler Olson | Shutterstock

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The policy allows passengers who “encroach upon any part of the neighboring seat” to purchase an additional seat next to them to properly accommodate themselves and other passengers.

Southwest’s policy noted, “The purchase of additional seats serves as a notification of a special seating request and helps us ensure we can accommodate all Customers on the flight. Most importantly, it ensures that all Customers onboard have access to safe and comfortable seating.” 

“If you choose to purchase an extra seat, see a Customer Service Agent at the gate to obtain a Seat Reserved document for the additional seat purchased. You’ll place the Seat Reserved document on the adjoining seat.” 

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When Avon did just this before his flight in June 2024, he was allegedly humiliated and degraded by gate agents who claimed that he “didn’t look disabled” and refused to issue him a boarding pass for an additional seat.

Little did they know Avon was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the time and could have benefited from the extra room.

After Avon demanded to speak to a supervisor, another gate agent appeared to check the weigh-on scale before telling Avon, “You ain’t getting a second seat on my watch.”

As he grew increasingly vulnerable, Avon took out his cell phone and began recording the gate agents’ atrocious actions.

Southwest flight KevinKim | Shutterstock

Hilarious Southwest Flight Attendant Uses Simple Trick To Get Passengers To Follow Carry-On Rules

However, a gate agent snatched the phone from him and refused to return it until local police arrived on the scene.

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Eventually, a supervisor stepped in to issue Avon a boarding pass for the seat next to him.

The damage, however, was already done, and the incident left him shaken and humiliated.

According to the lawsuit, after all of the passengers were seated, one of the gate agents boarded the plane and demanded that Avon delete the footage of their interaction.

Avon is now suing the airline for numerous violations, including “unfair trading practices over the way it markets its extra seat policy, and infliction of emotional distress.”

Southwest has allegedly reached out to Avon issuing an apology and admitting that they had “failed to comply with regulations in your case.”

While the gate agents certainly need to review their policies regarding additional seats for passengers, there is a much bigger issue within this entire scenario: the assumption that some people don’t “look disabled.”

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Not all disabilities are visible. They do not have a specific appearance.

You never know why someone may have parked in a handicapped spot without a wheelchair or crutches or why they requested certain seats while using public transportation. Frankly, it’s none of your business.

Woman Criticizes How Airline Employees Carried Her Wheelchair Off The Plane — But People Think She’s Wrong

Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.



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Dallas, TX

Public frustration grows as Dallas leaders debate billion‑dollar City Hall fix or relocation

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Public frustration grows as Dallas leaders debate billion‑dollar City Hall fix or relocation


Dallas City Council members spent the day hearing hours of public criticism as they weigh whether to spend roughly $1 billion to repair the aging, 50‑year‑old City Hall or pursue a plan to move out entirely. The meeting grew tense as residents voiced mistrust over the council’s motives, prompting members to suspend normal rules and allow anyone in the chamber to speak. Speakers questioned whether the push to relocate serves the public or private developers, while city staff prepared to present cost and feasibility details during what is expected to be a long evening session.



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Miami, FL

City of Miami celebrates reopening of Flagler Street as part of beautification project

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City of Miami celebrates reopening of Flagler Street as part of beautification project




City of Miami celebrates reopening of Flagler Street as part of beautification project – CBS Miami

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The beautification project is partially complete with the street reopening for pedestrians and drivers.

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Atlanta, GA

Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown

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Same DNA, new address: Muchacho expands to West Midtown


Photo by Luke Beard

When Muchacho first opened along the Atlanta Beltline and Memorial Drive, it became known as a place shaped as much by its surroundings as by its menu. That site, housed in a 100‑year‑old train depot, set the tone for how the brand approaches expansion: start with the bones of a building, then let the space tell the story. The newly opened Muchacho West Midtown follows that same philosophy.

“We like to celebrate unique attributes of each property and work with the palette we’re given,” says founder and owner Michael Lennox. While the original Muchacho is defined by its long, narrow footprint and Spanish tile roof—features reminiscent of its former life as a train depot—the West Midtown location leans into an industrial past rooted in automotive culture: a former Meineke car care shop. Big windows reference former garage doors, while retro racing details appear inside.

Inside Muchacho on the Westside

Photo by Luke Beard

Still, the connective tissue between the two locations is clear. Both spaces draw heavily from Muchacho’s Southern California skate‑and‑surf roots. At Muchacho West Midtown, familiar playfulness appears via a blue‑orange‑yellow racing stripe pattern, a three‑dimensional pegboard gallery wall used to hang art and plants, and vintage Meineke signage. A life‑size cardboard cutout of George Foreman, once the pitchman for Meineke, underscores Lennox’s willingness to lean into humor and nostalgia. “It’s a playful brand,” he says.

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A functional halfpipe for skateboarding anchors the outdoor experience and will double as a performance space for bands and DJs. In about a month, a 4,000‑square‑foot “tropical secret garden” with tall bamboo lining the perimeter will open on the south side of the property. Another 1,500 square feet of patio space wraps the west and north sides, currently welcoming about 80 guests. Altogether, the West Midtown location will accommodate about 215 guests, making it comparable in size to the original, with a little more outdoor space.

Crispy chicken sandwich

Photo by Luke Beard

Muchacho West Midtown opened with the same core menu that made the Beltline location a staple: tacos, breakfast burritos, coffee, cocktails, and beer. Standouts like migas, chilaquiles, carne asada, and al pastor continue to be available. Over time, however, Lennox says each location is expected to develop its own personality, driven by the chefs who have “a pretty wide creative latitude.” Chef Betty Aparicio, formerly of Chido & Padre’s, steers the kitchen on the Westside.

“We want to nurture some immediate familiarity while providing space for some special moments you can only have at each location,” Lennox says.

Margarita

Photo by Luke Beard

One of these special moments will take place April 4 at a grand opening party dubbed MuchachoFest. Expect bands, a fortune teller, a mini skate park in parking lot, food and drink specials, and giveaways. “It’s going to be a fun day in West Midtown,” Lennox says.

A third Muchacho location will debut in the old Revival space in Decatur this summer. In addition, the Electric Hospitality team is bringing Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall to the Westside. Slated to launch in May on 11th Street, the convivial restaurant and bar will feature a 5,000-square-foot courtyard with an airstream bar, stage, and Crepe Myrtles, and a 45-seat island bar inside. Formerly a single-story warehouse from 1950s or ’60s, Ladybird West Midtown will offer the same food and beverages as its Eastside sibling with room for the chef and mixologist to add their unique touches.

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