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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

At least 4 injured after vehicle drives into Dallas crowd, driver arrested

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At least 4 injured after vehicle drives into Dallas crowd, driver arrested


At least four people were injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd of people in Dallas on Thursday evening.

Dallas police responded to an “Assist Officer call with an Ambulance” at approximately 7 p.m. in the 300 block of West Davis Street.

Authorities learned that a vehicle drove into a crowd, injuring multiple people. At least four have been taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police said no one was in critical condition.

The driver of the vehicle was arrested at the scene, police said. Authorities are still working to determine if this driver could have been drunk or if this could have been a medical episode.

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According to police, there is no indication that the crash was terrorism related.

The investigation is ongoing.

This story will be updated as we learn more.



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Miami, FL

Miami Central students prepare for life changing trip to Zimbabwe amid funding challenges

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Miami Central students prepare for life changing trip to Zimbabwe amid funding challenges


A group of South Florida students is preparing to travel more than 8,000 miles to Zimbabwe next Wednesday, though organizers say reaching their fundraising goals has become increasingly difficult this year.

Ten students from Miami Central Senior High School are scheduled to spend 18 days in the country as part of the Blindfolded International Student Cultural Exchange Program (BISCEP). The initiative aims to provide students with cultural immersion and foster global relationships.

“I’m really excited but also a tad bit nervous,” said 11th grader Shonneice Ferris.

For student Samir Rios, the trip offers a chance to engage with a new community. “The most anticipated thing that I’m looking forward to is most likely the students and the kids,” Rios said.

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During the 18-day excursion, students plan to attend local schools, volunteer at an orphanage, and visit sites including Victoria Falls. “The first week we’re going to be going to school in Zimbabwe,” Ferris said.

Despite the program’s history of successful trips, BISCEP founder Edwin Sheppard said fundraising efforts have stalled. Many longtime donors have reduced their contributions due to budget constraints.

“A lot of our donors, our past donors, have not been able to donate what they’ve donated in the past,” Sheppard said. “A lot of budget cuts, and so we’re still struggling to raise all of the funding.”

Organizers confirmed the trip will proceed as scheduled despite the financial hurdles.

“This is two different schools, two different sides of the world and two different continents, and I think we’re going to do something amazing out of this,” Rios said.

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The students are scheduled to depart next Wednesday. Organizers continue to seek donations to cover the remaining costs. Those interested in supporting the Miami Central Senior High students can find more information at biscep.org.



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Atlanta, GA

18 essential Atlanta restaurants, from neighborhood gems to MICHELIN-starred destinations

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18 essential Atlanta restaurants, from neighborhood gems to MICHELIN-starred destinations


Heirloom Market

Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee

Atlanta’s dining scene has long been a force, but in recent years, its flavors have only grown more powerful. Chefs from around the world have brought global recipes here, while local talent continues to prove that Southern cooking is far more than just fried chicken (though you’ll find plenty of that, too). Eight Atlanta restaurants have MICHELIN stars, with many more recognized with distinctions and Bib Gourmand nods. Whether you’re craving soul food, steaks, or spiced curry, here are 18 spots worth seeking out.

Sweet Auburn BBQ
Sweet Auburn BBQ

Photograph by Kate Blohm

dishes from Sweet Auburn BBQ
Sweet Auburn BBQ

Photograph by Kate Blohm

Global Meets Southern

In Atlanta, international flavors mingle with Southern traditions, giving rise to inventive fusion cuisines. Sweet Auburn BBQ in Poncey-Highland is proof of this: Siblings Anita and Howard Hsu combine their Chinese heritage with their Atlanta roots in dishes like pimento cheese wontons and char siu–style smoked ribs. At Smyrna’s Heirloom Market, housemade kimchi and macaroni and cheese accompany meats like smoked brisket and Korean spicy pork. At Talat Market in Summerhill, “fusion” speaks less to the dishes than to the sense of place. The restaurant calls itself “Georgian Thai,” a nod to its use of regional produce in deeply rooted Thai dishes like crispy rice salad with seasonal greens sourced from Georgia farms (Woodland Gardens, Hickory Hill) and pork from nearby Riverview Farms.

dishes from Lee’s Bakery
Lee’s Bakery

Courtesy of Lees Bakery

Buford Highway Hits

Atlanta’s 36-mile stretch of road known as Buford Highway is home to the city’s most dynamic international dining. Along the street’s Brookhaven section, Vietnamese mainstay Lee’s Bakery is well-known for its bánh mì prepared with from-scratch rolls. At Yet Tuh, hidden in the back of a Doraville office park, Korean favorites like kimchi pancakes and bibimbap are served in a homey setting. Also on a Doraville section of Buford Highway, Filipino flavors delight at Kamayan ATL, where veggie lumpia and sizzling sisig deliver bold spices; cool off with the fruit-filled halo-halo.

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dishes from Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Mary Mac’s Tea Room

Courtesy of Mary Mac’s Tea Room

two employees from Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Mary Mac’s Tea Room

Courtesy of Mary Mac’s Tea Room

A Taste of History

Peer into the past at Atlanta’s landmark restaurants. At Paschal’s in Castleberry Hill, Civil Rights leaders (including John Lewis and Andrew Young) gathered over fried chicken, while Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. organized the movement over soul-food dishes like macaroni and cheese and ham hocks at Vine City’s Busy Bee Cafe. Mary Mac’s Tea Room, open in Midtown since 1945, serves up classic Southern hospitality and sweet tea in six bustling dining rooms. Also in Midtown, the world’s largest drive-in restaurant, The Varsity, has boisterously asked customers “What’ll ya have?” since 1928 (a chili dog, of course).

dishes from La Semilla
La Semilla

Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee

a hand holding a woven basket
The Chastain

Photograph by Heidi Geldhauser

an empanada from La Semilla
La Semilla

Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee

Locally Inspired

Long growing seasons and a favorable climate yield a bounty of local produce that inspires area chefs to new levels of creativity. The Chastain in Buckhead grows herbs and vegetables in its on-site garden, visible from the farmhouse-style dining room, showcasing them in drinks, dishes, and a garden tasting menu. At West Midtown’s Miller Union, James Beard Award–winner Steven Satterfield has made the seasonal vegetable plate a must-order (The New York Times says it’s the dish that showcases the restaurant’s “full effect.”) In Reynoldstown, chef Reid Trapani partners with local growers to create Latin American–inspired vegan dishes at La Semilla, often featuring peak-season fruit desserts, like apple empanadas in fall or strawberry tres leches in spring.

inside dining space of Mujō
Mujō

Photograph by Andrew Thomas Lee

salmon dish from Atlas
Atlas

Photograph by Thomas Espinoza

dining room inside Atlas
Atlas

Photograph by Thomas Espinoza

Upscale Fare

MICHELIN began awarding stars to Atlanta restaurants in 2023, signaling to the world the strength of the city’s dining scene. Recipients include Lazy Betty, where chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Philips craft a seasonally driven tasting menu in a cosmopolitan Midtown setting. Buckhead’s Atlas, also a MICHELIN star winner, surrounds diners with high art (Picasso, Chagall) while chef Freddy Money delivers equally artful dishes (don’t skip the lavish cheese cart or the water-garnish service). In West Midtown, Chef J. Trent Harris of MICHELIN-starred Mujō prepares world-class omakase meals featuring traditional Edomae-style nigiri with fish flown in from Japan. A hip-hop soundtrack keeps the mood upbeat in the dark intimacy of the blackbox setting.

greenery decor at Lazy Betty
Lazy Betty

Photograph by Matt Wong

pastries from Little Tart Bakeshop
Little Tart Bakeshop

Courtesy of Little Tart Bakeshop

Neighborhood Gems

Atlanta is a patchwork of pocket neighborhoods, each with its own personality reflected in its restaurants. In East Lake, Pure Quill Superette is located in a former tire shop, encapsulating the neighborhood’s historic yet gritty charm. Inside, the team prepares elevated comfort food like fried cod sandwiches, tofu rice bowls, and squash hoecakes served with housemade preserves. In Old Fourth Ward, Staplehouse reflects the neighborhood’s evolution, where creative types gather in a former boardinghouse that speaks to the area’s layered past. Dishes are simple—sourdough pizza, salads, and an Italian grinder among them—but prepared with precision. The Little Tart Bakeshop matches Grant Park’s blend of charm and community with its plant-filled decor and buttery, flaky croissants and galettes filled with seasonal fruit, plus a full coffee program that keeps the neighborhood humming.

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