[Blindtlk] Blind Flyer Rights

Tue Jul 4 02:07:35 UTC 2017

It can be confusing because airline personnel have been known to tell 
passengers contradictory things and often cannot back up what they say when 
challenged.  That happened to me once when carrying a rigid fiberglass cane. 
Three days after that flight I called NFB governmental staff and found that 
indeed, one must be able to place the cane flat on the floor against the 
wall of that row or in a bulkhead seat have it standing up straight against 
the bulkhead.  I now avoid these problems by traveling with an NFB 
telescoping cane and placing it in the seat pocket in front of me.  My 
understanding has always been that when going through security, the cane 
goes ahead of you and then you walk in a straight line hopefully noe 
touching the sides of the metal detector.

Mark Tardif
Nuclear arms will not hold you.
-----Original Message----- 
From: Judy Jones via blindtlk
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2017 9:37 PM
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
Cc: Judy Jones
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Blind Flyer Rights

This may be just me, but when going through security, you are only walking a
few yards in a straight line, so relinquishing the cane for that short
amount of time is fine.  It would be another story if I were asked to give
up the cane on the flight; that I will no way do.  My rejoinder if asked,
would be, will you give up your glasses?

I've flown all over the country and overseas, and never faced this problem.

In my lifetime of using canes, I have used many different kinds, all the way
from the rigid fiberglass cane up through my present cane, a telescopic NFB
cane.

Judy

-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ellana Crew
via blindtlk
Sent: Sunday, July 2, 2017 4:14 PM
To: blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Ellana Crew
Subject: [Blindtlk] Blind Flyer Rights

Hello there,

Does anybody have any definitive information about what the rights of blind
flyers really are? I have heard so many mixed messages online and I would
like to know for sure, especially if you can provide sources such as links
to where this information is documented.

I'm fairly certain blind travelers have the right to keep the canes with
them in the plane during the entire flight process as long as it is flat on
the ground between the seat in the wall of the fuselage, but what about
security? Is there an official stance on this? I have been told by some that
I am not obligated to go through the metal detector without my cane, and I
have heard that canes must be put through the scanner and given back to me
before I am allowed to go through the metal detector with my cane safely
returned to my hand, but I have heard others say that the canes will set off
metal detectors and must be put through the scanners and I must walk through
the metal detector without it. Even more confusing still, I have also heard
some say that you can go through the metal detector with your cane but that
there is a hand device they will use to scan the cane once you are through
the metal detector. I have also heard someone mention that straight canes
can go through the metal detector with you and will not set it off, but that
folding canes will likely set off the metal detector and would likely have
to be put through the scanner or scanned with the hand device after you go
through the metal detector.

Does anybody know for certain what my rights are in security in regards to
my cane? Do I have the right to go through the metal detector using my cane?
Will my straight cane set off the metal detector? What about folding canes?
If my cane sets off the metal detector, will I have to go through the metal
detector again without it? Am I allowed to wait until my cane has gone
through the scanner and has been safely returned to my hand before I stepped
through the metal detector? Or are they supposed to let me go through with
my cane and then scan my cane by hand somehow? Where can I find any
documentation of these rights if there are any? I would very much like to
have very definitive answers from people who know for certain so that I can
firstly be more confident in my discussions with security agents, be more
aware of my rights in general, and keep it as a reference for anybody else
who may not know their rights as well.

Ellana Crew, Vice President
Maryland Association of Blind Students
Website: nfbmd.org/students
Facebook: facebook.com/mdabs.federation
Twitter: @MDABS_NFB

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.
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