Mike Bonanza pilots a small aircraft across state lines to transport women seeking reproductive care. His organization, Elevated Access, operates entirely within legal bounds, yet faces mounting pressure from state legislatures that have drafted laws targeting anyone who "aids or abets abortion."
Bonanza founded Elevated Access to address a stark reality: women in states with abortion restrictions often travel hundreds of miles to reach clinics in states where the procedure remains legal. Commercial flights require identification and leave paper trails. A private plane offers discretion and speed.
The pilot describes his work as a direct response to the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which returned abortion regulation to individual states. More than 20 states now ban or heavily restrict abortion. These travel barriers disproportionately affect low-income women and those in rural areas who lack resources for lengthy trips.
Bonanza acknowledges the legal risks. Several states, including Texas and Oklahoma, have enacted laws criminalizing those who help others access abortion. Oklahoma's statute specifically penalizes "aiding or abetting the performance or inducement of an abortion." Yet Bonanza considers the consequences worth accepting.
Elevated Access joins a growing network of organizations providing reproductive care assistance. Groups like Planned Parenthood and the National Abortion Federation now offer travel support, lodging, and financial aid. Some provide logistical help through coordination networks.
The legality Bonanza operates within rests on a technical distinction: Elevated Access doesn't fund or arrange abortions directly. The organization provides transportation only. However, this distinction may erode as state legislatures expand language in their abortion restrictions.
Bonanza's work reflects how reproductive health access has fragmented into a patchwork system post-Dobbs. Women's ability to obtain care now depends heavily on geography and resources. His decision to fly patients across state lines represents one