[blindkid] Missed Flight

[Susan Harper]

I have to tell you, I think you and your girls did everything right.  You
have a right to your feelings.  Hang in there, the girls will be okay.
Eventually, so will you!
Blessings,
Sue H.

On Sat, Jun 13, 2009 at 3:33 PM, Kim Cunningham <kim at gulfimagesphoto.com>wrote:

> I am so mad right now! My daughter and another blind friend left Houston
> this morning heading to Colorado Center for the Blind in Denver. They are
> both attending the Earn and Learn Program for eight weeks. My daughter's
> flight was booked by our local DARS agency and since they booked a couple of
> days before they were to leave, they were unable to get a direct flight. The
> girls were to change planes in Dallas. My daughter was very confident in her
> abilities to get to the right gate and make the connection. She has flown
> several times by herself and had no worries. So, the girls got off the plane
> in Dallas and were met by airport personnel. My daughter informed him that
> she didn't need the cart and would find the gate if he could point her in
> the right direction. Apparently, one of the passengers offered to show them
> to their gate and my daughter allowed. My daughter told me that she walked
> in front of the passenger and found the gate on her own and was
>  feeling very proud of herself. The passenger left the girls at the gate
> and the girls then proceeded to get a pre-board pass. There were no seats in
> the pre-boarding area, so the girls sat in a row of seats next to this area.
> After waiting to hear boarding information, my daughter went to the desk and
> was told that they missed their flight! Appparently the speakers were not
> working in this area and no one from the airlines came to tell them of the
> flights departure. Does this happen to blind people often? Should there have
> been something else that my daughter should have said or done while at the
> check-in desk? I spoke to the supervisor and she was so rude to me! I asked
> her how can someone check in for a pre-board pass and then no one ever make
> sure that the passenger knows when the flight is boarding (especially if the
> passenger has a white cane and the airlines already know the speaker doesn't
> work)? This lady said - "Well, we don't know IF the
>  girls were in the pre-board area (insinuating they left the gate) and we
> didn't even know they were there (although the girls had pre-board passes).
> Since I was upset, I expressed my dismay about not being able to trust the
> airline upon which the supervisor told me the only way to make sure that
> your children are safe is to fly with them! This statement made me feel as
> though she was saying I wasn't a good mother. I really expected to here her
> apologize as soon as she got on the phone, but instead, she didn't want to
> assume any of the blame for the situation. I plan to file a complaint on
> Monday with their customer service department, but I need to understand
> whether the airlines have any requirements to make sure that blind people of
> properly notified of flight status. Southwest Airlines knew that the speaker
> wasn't working, but did not tell the girls. Now I'm sitting at home in
> Houston worrying about if the girls will make their next flight (4-1/2
>  hours later). Both of the girls are in good moods and reading braille
> books and listening to their Victor Stream at the moment. The people at CCB
> are going to have to go out of their way to pick up the girls at a much
> later time also. Y'all tell me - Am I being an over-protective mother or do
> I have a right to be upset with the way Southwest Airlines deals with blind
> passengers?
> One pee-o'd Mom,
> Kim Cunningham
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