[Blindtlk] Thought youall might find thisinteresting-AirTranfined $500K fordisability violations

Mon Sep 6 16:38:11 UTC 2010

Hi Steve. I respectfully disagree. It takes me no longer to walk back
counting ten seats than it does other folks. What makes asking for
assistance tricky for me is that not every airplane is connected to a jet
way. When I get out on a noisy tarmac, then I am not at all as efficient. If
I know this is going to be the way we board, I do whatever the ground crew
asks for I need their help. I can demand my right to go in group 3, but in
the case of small airports, all this means is that the one gate attendant
takes my boarding pass, asks everyone behind me to wait, takes us through
the outside door, locks it, puts me on the plane, and then goes back and
boards the rest of the folks. In this case, I would have been better off to
take the early boarding. In other cases I board right alongside the folks
who have drawn the same boarding order I have and things work fine.

If you know the situation you're going to face, you can make a more informed
decision about what to accept.

Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Steve P. Deeley
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 2:34 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Thought youall might find
thisinteresting-AirTranfined $500K fordisability violations

They show you to your seat prior to other passangers board.  It does take
blind individuals longer to find their seats.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 12:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Thought you all might find
thisinteresting-AirTranfined $500K for disability violations

> Steve,
>
> While I can't say that what you describe never happens, and also that 
> you shouldn't handle this as you feel most comfortable, one must ask 
> additional questions if they are really going to paint a complete 
> picture.  In all fairness who fills in for the flight crew member when 
> they are showing you your seat?
> Who is inconvenienced when the flight crew member must walk against 
> the traffic to move from your seat back to the front of the plane.  I 
> don't fly a lot, but I don't ever remember a time when I didn't have 
> to wait for the people in front of me to get their bags put away 
> before I could get to my seat, and they have generally all been 
> sighted.  We certainly need to think of how our actions impact others, 
> but we also have to keep them in perspective.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve Jacobson
>
> On Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:21:32 -0400, Steve P. Deeley wrote:
>
>>I have observed blind individuals who refused assistance from the 
>>flight crew when boarding and they held everyone else up while fumbling
around.
>>This is a real issue that blind individuals should take into 
>>consideration.
>>I have vision, however, I always allow a member of the flight crew to 
>>assist me in locating my seat quickly.  If you are a frequent business 
>>flier, then you know time is money!!
>>Steve
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Graves, Diane" <dgraves at icrc.IN.gov>
>>To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:03 AM
>>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Thought you all might find 
>>thisinteresting-AirTranfined $500K for disability violations
>
>
>>> With regard to preboarding, I think the word "preference" is the key.
>>> There was a time when it was forced on us whether we wanted it or not.
>>>
>>> We are all individuals. Another example would be perhaps crossing a 
>>> busy intersection. There are some blind individuals who would prefer 
>>> to have a fellow crosser offer an arm or some assistance. There are 
>>> others who feel competent in this area and would prefer to be left 
>>> alone to do it themselves. With regard to the latter group, if a 
>>> sighted person comes up and offers some assistance which is politely 
>>> refused and the sighted person goes on about their business, , there 
>>> is no problem. If, however, that sighted person insists, grabs the 
>>> blind person's arm, not taking "no"
>>> for an answer, that constitutes a major problem and should  not be 
>>> tolerated.
>>>
>>> person
>>>
>>>
>>> Diane Graves
>>> Civil Rights Specialist
>>> Indiana Civil Rights Commission
>>> Alternative Dispute Resolutions Unit
>>> 317-232-2647
>>>
>>> "It is service that measures success."
>>> George Washington Carver
>>>
>>> Confidentiality Notice: This E-mail transmission may contain 
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>>> the individual or
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>>> named in the E-mail address. If you are not the intended recipient, 
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>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>>> [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of cheryl echevarria
>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 9:34 AM
>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Thought you all might find this 
>>> interesting-AirTran fined $500K for disability violations
>>>
>>> I am making note to this because after the convention, I got a lot 
>>> of e-mails asking me who to contact at the airlines where it was 
>>> related to a guide dog user, having issues with the staff or a blind 
>>> person force to sit in wheelchairs.
>>>
>>> It is just a topic, and we don't know what other issues airtran has, 
>>> they might not think it is worth noting about guide dogs and the 
>>> blind.  Who knows, I posted it as interest and reminding people here 
>>> since we are a non-profit organization that is an advocacy group for 
>>> the blind.
>>>
>>>
>>> The biggest compliment you can pay me is to recommend my services!
>>>
>>> Cheryl Echevarria
>>> Independent Travel Consultant
>>> C10-10646
>>>
>>> http://Echevarriatravel.com
>>> 1-866-580-5574
>>> skype: angeldn3
>>>
>>> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
>>> CST-1018299-10 Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute 
>>> Cruise and Travel Inc.
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Hyde, David W. (ESC)" <david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us>
>>> To: "'Blind Talk Mailing List'" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 8:58 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Thought you all might find this 
>>> interesting-AirTran fined $500K for disability violations
>>>
>>>
>>>> The objection is to forced pre-boarding.
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
>>>> On
>>>> Behalf Of Peachtree Travel
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 7:51 AM
>>>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Thought you all might find this
>>>> interesting -AirTran fined $500K for disability violations
>>>>
>>>> Ray:
>>>>
>>>> By law, all the airlines are required to have a system in place to
>>>> document all disability complaints.  This stems from the ADA mandates.
>>>> Sounds like Air Tran was either underreporting the complaints or doing
>>>> nothing in a timely manner regarding the complaints they already had on
>>>> file.
>>>>
>>>> It also seems most of the complaints that Air ran is being accused of
>>>> underreporting or not taking action on are from wheelchair users or not
>>>> helping a blind person get to their flight or connection on time.
>>>>
>>>> I remember when working for Marriott International, we had strict
>>>> guidelines for ADA calls.  We could never tell the disability caller
>>>> there
>>>> wasn't any accessible rooms in the hotel.  If we couldn't guaranty them

>>>> a
>>>> accessible room, we had to finish the reservation and transfer the call
>>>> to
>>>> the ADA department.
>>>>
>>>> The biggest compliment you can pay me is to recommend my services!
>>>>
>>>> Maurice
>>>>
>>>> We know that you have a choice in choosing a Travel Partner and truly
>>>> appreciate that you have selected Peachtree Travel.
>>>>
>>>> Independent Travel Consultant
>>>> http://www.Peachtreetravel.net
>>>> (phone) 888-389-2723
>>>> (fax) 888-563-4698
>>>> Reservations at peachtreetravel.net
>>>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
>>>> CST-1018299-10
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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.k12.wi.us
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tmail.com
>>>>
>>>
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sightbb.com
>
>
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