A Carfax for one wheelchair · Case file

Records refused · Sep 26, 2026

What did they do to his chair?

They broke his wheelchair. Then hid the paperwork.

He has to live with it, never knowing what they did, who did it, or when.

What happened

01A passenger's power wheelchair was damaged in United Airlines' care. Its repair history is now a record only the airline and its contractor can see.
02The drive motors are the core safety question. Global Repair Group (GRG) claimed Olympic replaced them, then later claimed more motor work through a local shop. Neither claim can be checked without the repair file.
03On September 3 and 4, 2026, Mark Hobbs emailed video of severe motor clunking.
04On May 19, GRG wrote the chair was “working well and is safe to use.” It came back missing the transfer handle GRG had said it would replace.
05On September 26, 2026, United Disability wrote that it will not release any documentation. In a CareInfo email dated Oct. 1, 2026, Kevin Allison wrote that United would not release documentation without a valid court order or subpoena. So what is in the file?

See the damage history Press kit Ask for the file

Damaged in: United's care
Called safe by GRG: May 19, 2026
Motor clunking on video: Sep 3–4, 2026
Records refused: Sep 26, 2026

For press · Trust and verify: release the complete repair file and a written safety certification.

mhobbs1@gmail.com

For press

What are they hiding? Ask for the file.

mhobbs1@gmail.com

“Fool me twice: they claimed the motors were fixed before; now they claim again; still no file.”

Mark Hobbs

“Trust and verify: I do not start from suspicion; trust still means verify. In 2026 authenticity matters. The easiest reply is: here is your file.”

Mark Hobbs

“The chair is working well and is safe to use.”

Global Repair GroupMay 19, 2026Written statement

Headlight, caster, and shroud damage was “just found,” with a parts ETA of about October 15.

Global Repair GroupSeptember 22, 2026Paraphrase; quoted words in marks

United Disability wrote that it will not release any documentation.

Kevin Allison, United Disability SpecialistSeptember 26, 2026Paraphrase · Case ID 179044849133455

The story in one line: a wheelchair with no readable damage history. Used cars get a Carfax. The ask is the complete repair file, including all claimed drive motor work, and a written safety certification before any return of the chair or bags.

One-page briefing

The question: what was done to Mark Hobbs's power chair, who did it, and when? The records that would answer it exist. United Disability wrote on Sep 26, 2026 that it will not release any documentation. In a CareInfo email dated Oct. 1, 2026, United Disability's Kevin Allison wrote that United would not release documentation without a valid court order or subpoena. The same email separately claimed that delivery of the backpack and side bags was scheduled, and described Hobbs's no-handoff conditions as confusion. The chair is held pending the complete technical and repair file and a written safety certification.

Motors first. GRG claimed Olympic replaced the drive motors, then later claimed further motor work through a local shop. Neither claim can be verified without the repair file. On Sep 3 and 4, 2026, Hobbs emailed video showing severe motor clunking.

Called safe: on May 19, GRG wrote the chair was "working well and is safe to use." It came back missing the transfer handle GRG had said it would replace.

Trust and verify: Hobbs has set written conditions for any return: the complete technical and repair file and a written safety certification.

Source pack: The Timeline lists every dated event with its source. The Evidence Vault sets written claims beside the chair as returned.

For immediate release

HALIFAX, N.S. (Sept. 30, 2026)

What did they do to his chair? Halifax traveler asks United Airlines and its repair contractor for his wheelchair's full repair history and a written safety certification

What was done to Mark Hobbs's wheelchair, who did it, and when? Months after his Permobil M3 Corpus power chair was damaged in United Airlines' care, he still cannot get the records that would say. Hobbs, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, is traveling in a rental wheelchair that does not fit properly. He is asking United and its repair contractor, Global Repair Group (GRG), to release the complete repair and technical file, including Olympic work records, plus a written safety certification, before the chair or related bags are handed back.

The core safety question is the drive motors. GRG claimed Olympic had already replaced the motors, then later claimed further motor work through a local shop. Hobbs cannot verify either claim without the repair file. On September 3 and 4, 2026, he emailed United and GRG video showing severe motor clunking.

Claims: DEN53718D (February 2026 transit) and ORD58572D (August 2026 Chicago). United Case ID: 179044849133455.

On May 19, 2026, GRG wrote that the chair was "working well and is safe to use." It was returned missing the transfer handle GRG had said it would replace. On September 22, 2026, GRG reported that additional headlight, caster, and shroud damage had been "just found," with parts estimated around October 15.

On September 26, 2026, United Disability (Kevin Allison / CareInfo) wrote that it will not release any documentation, and promised a location update by Friday, October 2. On September 27, Hobbs set written conditions for any return: a complete technical and repair record (including Olympic work), a written safety certification, and an agreed delivery window. In a CareInfo email dated Oct. 1, 2026, United Disability's Kevin Allison wrote that United would not release documentation without a valid court order or subpoena. The same email separately claimed that delivery of the backpack and side bags was scheduled, and cited Hobbs's no-handoff conditions as confusion.

Hobbs is documenting the dispute at https://unitedbreakswheelchairs.com.

Pull quotes

"Fool me twice: they claimed the motors were fixed before; now they claim again; still no file."

(Mark Hobbs)

"Trust and verify: I do not start from suspicion; trust still means verify. In 2026 authenticity matters. The easiest reply is: here is your file."

(Mark Hobbs)

"United Disability wrote on September 26 that it will not release any documentation. I still need the tech file and a written safety cert before the chair or bags come back."

(Mark Hobbs)

Media contact

Mark Hobbs
Email: mhobbs1@gmail.com
Site: https://unitedbreakswheelchairs.com

Notes to editors

Core safety question: drive motors. GRG claimed motor replacement by Olympic, then further motor work through a local shop path; neither is verifiable without the repair file.
Ask: release of the complete repair/tech file (including Olympic work) and a written safety certification before return of the chair or bags.
Parties named in the public record of this dispute: United Airlines; Global Repair Group; Olympic; United Disability / CareInfo (Kevin Allison).
Claims: DEN53718D, ORD58572D. United Case ID: 179044849133455.
Hobbs's city of residence is Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is currently traveling in a rental wheelchair pending documentation and certification.

###

01 · On the record, on camera

In his own words

Mark Hobbs on camera: what happened to his chair, and why he wants the file.

02 · Claims vs. the chair

The Damage History

A Carfax for one wheelchair. What was claimed in writing, set beside the chair as it came back. Trust, and verify.

What they claimed

What came back

Repair summary states the transfer handle was replaced during service.

On May 19, 2026, Global Repair Group wrote: "The chair is working well and is safe to use." GRG had also stated in writing on April 14, 2026 that they "have the hardware for this repair." (Screenshots on file.)

Physical inspection on return (June 19, 2026) showed the damaged armrest and the transfer handle were not addressed at all. The temporary taped handle kept falling into the wheel, so it was removed before the chair was turned over to GRG, on the understanding that GRG would install a new one. It never did, despite stating on April 14, 2026 that it had the hardware 'in hand.' An arm pad appears to have been altered or repositioned rather than correctly repaired, and the push handlebars were replaced though they were not part of the damage at issue. Because GRG has refused to provide parts invoices or service logs, exactly what was done cannot be independently verified. (The joystick, the one major correct repair, was completed earlier in Seattle under the separate prior claim.)

Video: transfer handle temporarily taped on to travel home

Carrier indicated the chair was returned in fully operational condition.

Global Repair Group represented the two-month repair as complete and the chair as safe to use (email dated May 19, 2026). (Screenshot on file.)

Operational defects were present on delivery and required additional owner-arranged inspection.

Video: chair immobilized in Seattle, M1 config error

Repair logs, part numbers, and a diagnostic report were requested in writing on June 20, June 23, and July 2, 2026.

No records were produced. Without them, none of the repair claims above can be independently verified. That is the core of the safety concern.

Photograph / on-site evidence

The records request log

Each written request for the file, and what came back. If there is nothing to hide, why not release it?

Date Requested	Documentation Requested	Status	Impact
June 20, 2026	Repair logs (work performed, technician, date)	Not produced	Repair history unverifiable
June 23, 2026	Parts inventory (part numbers and serial numbers replaced)	Not produced	Repair history unverifiable
July 2, 2026	Diagnostic report (pre- and post-repair)	Not produced	Repair history unverifiable
September 24–25, 2026	Complete repair/tech file and preservation	Deadline missed / not produced	Chair still held; safety unverifiable
September 26, 2026	Passenger copy of repair documentation	Refused in writing (Allison)	Chair still held; safety unverifiable

03 · Safety incidents

Living with it

Documented safety incidents while he was without a working, verified chair.

April 4-6, 2026Seattle, WA

Immobilized in a hotel room; no adequate loaner provided

After the chair failed completely in Seattle, the passenger was left without a functional mobility device and moved between the Seattle Marriott Waterfront and the Hyatt Regency Bellevue. The loaner supplied had no tilt function and no tie-downs for accessible transport, and was not a safe substitute for a custom power chair.

Documentation on file: Timestamped correspondence with the carrier and its contractor is on file.

April 2026Seattle, WA

Pinned under the chair; hotel security required to assist

The loaner chair ran over its own power cord, disconnecting the plug and leaving the chair unable to move. Reaching for a phone, the passenger ended up on the floor with both legs pinned under the chair and could not get up unaided. After roughly 15 minutes, the passenger called the front desk and hotel security responded and assisted him out. Security offered to call an ambulance, which the passenger declined.

Documentation on file: Hotel front-desk and security records; contemporaneous account on file.

June 19, 2026 – ongoingHalifax, NS

Missing transfer handle; ongoing fall risk during transfers

The chair was returned with the transfer handle absent, despite the repair summary stating it had been replaced. The transfer handle is the fixed grip the passenger relies on to move safely between the chair and a bed, vehicle, or toilet. Without it, every transfer carries a foreseeable fall risk, and the handle has had to be temporarily taped in place to make travel possible.

Documentation on file: Post-return photographs and video of the chair, and the repair summary claiming the handle was replaced, are on file.

The damage history starts earlier. This was not the first time this wheelchair was damaged in United's care. Beginning in February 2026, damage to the chair was documented under Global Repair Group claim #YHZ50070D. On March 10, 2026, GRG's technician confirmed the joystick required replacement, along with a cable and armrest tray. Those items were repaired in Seattle. The record below concerns the separate, still-unresolved repair that followed the April 4, 2026 failure.

04 · Dated record

The Timeline

Every dated event, in order, each tied to a source document on file.

Open dates: United has said it will provide a location update on the chair, backpack, and parts by October 2, 2026. Global Repair Group has given a parts ETA of about October 15, 2026.

April 4, 2026
Power wheelchair fails completely and becomes immobile while traveling in Seattle, compounding prior damage from an earlier trip that had not yet been resolved. The chair already had pre-existing, previously documented damage, including a joystick issue recorded in February to March 2026 under Global Repair Group claim #YHZ50070D, that United and Global Repair Group were already responsible for repairing.
Source: Owner report / video
April 5, 2026
Technician assesses the chair and provides a loaner; a loose wire flagged by the owner is not inspected. The loaner lacks tilt function, creating a pressure-sore risk.
Source: Owner report
April 6, 2026
Chair taken into Global Repair Group's custody for assessment and repair.
Source: Carrier correspondence
May 19, 2026
Written report received stating the chair was repaired and "working well and safe to use."
Source: Repair summary
June 19, 2026
Chair returned to owner in Halifax after roughly two months in custody; inspection shows the transfer handle missing and the wrong armrest replaced.
Source: Owner inspection / video
July 2, 2026
Formal complaint filed with the U.S. DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division; records requests remain unanswered.
Source: DOT complaint
August 11–12, 2026
A second claim, ORD58572D, is opened after further damage. Global Repair Group's Marc King writes about "breaking the loop" and lists parts involving Olympic and a local shop.
Source: Carrier/contractor correspondence on file
September 3–4, 2026
The chair fails at home with severe drive motor clunking; the headlight detaches. Video is emailed to United and Global Repair Group.
Source: Owner video and correspondence on file
September 11, 2026
A local repair shop takes the primary chair for assessment.
Source: Correspondence on file
September 22, 2026
Global Repair Group states that headlight, caster, and shroud damage was "just found," with parts ETA about October 15.
Source: GRG correspondence on file
September 24, 2026
Written demand for the complete repair file by September 25, 5:00 p.m. EST, plus preservation of evidence. No responsive production is received by that deadline.
Source: Owner demand and correspondence on file
September 26, 2026
United Disability Specialist Kevin Allison writes that United will not release any documentation, and promises an update by October 2 on the location of the chair, backpack, and parts. United Case ID 179044849133455.
Source: United correspondence on file
September 27, 2026
Written conditions for any return: complete tech and repair documentation (including Olympic work), written safety certification, and an agreed delivery window. Separate notice to the repair shop: no delivery or handoff of the chair or bags until those conditions are met.
Source: Owner correspondence on file
October 1, 2026
United Disability (Kevin Allison) writes in a CareInfo email that United will not release documentation without a valid court order or subpoena. The same email claims delivery of the backpack and side bags was scheduled, while citing the owner's no-handoff conditions as confusion. The chair remains held pending the complete technical and repair file and a written safety certification.
Source: United CareInfo correspondence on file

05 · The ask

What he is asking for

Three specific requests. None has been fulfilled to date.

The complete damage and repair history, plus a written safety certification.

Think of it as a Carfax for a wheelchair. Mark Hobbs is asking for the full repair and technical record: what work was performed, who did it, on what date, and the part and serial numbers of every component replaced, including the motor work Olympic and a local shop are claimed to have done. He is also asking for a written safety certification before he accepts the chair or his bags, no unannounced drop-offs, and delivery only on an agreed window.

Every repair to an aircraft is logged. A chair a passenger sits in all day should have a history he can read.

Match the paperwork to the chair.

What GRG wrote and what came back do not line up. The transfer handle GRG said it would replace was missing on return. Hobbs is asking United and Global Repair Group to reconcile, in writing, the documentation with the chair as it was actually returned.

Trust and verify. A written claim is only as good as the record behind it.

No more passengers left guessing.

Hobbs is asking for a written commitment that passengers who rely on mobility devices will be given the repair records for their own equipment on request. No one should have to live with a chair without knowing what was done to it, who did it, or when.

Under the Air Carrier Access Act (14 CFR Part 382), the carrier remains responsible for the safe handling and repair of mobility devices, regardless of which contractor performs the work.

Ask United for the file

06 · Standards

Why this matters

Every claim on this site is dated, attributed, and sourced.

Safety

A mobility device is medical equipment. It must be returned to the passenger in the same operating condition in which it was received, and any repair performed on it must be documented to a standard the passenger can verify.

ACAA Compliance

Under the Air Carrier Access Act (14 CFR Part 382), the carrier is responsible for the safe handling and repair of assistive devices, regardless of which contractor performs the work.

Trust and verify

A passenger should not have to guess what was done to his own equipment. Repair records, parts, and serial numbers should be produced on request.

Direct Request to United & the Secretary of Transportation

What are they hiding? Ask for the file.

This form opens a pre-drafted, formal message in your email client addressed directly to Scott Kirby and Sean Duffy, with the DOT Office of Aviation Consumer Protection copied. It carries the three requests above. Nothing is transmitted or stored by this website.

07 · Reach out

Contact

Reporters, regulators, and readers: write to Mark Hobbs directly.

General: mhobbs1@gmail.com
Press: mhobbs1@gmail.com