[Flagdu] FW: [nagdu] US Airways passengers stand up for blind man removed from flight

[Sherrill O'Brien]

Hello all,

This is once again the problem of inconsistent training of flight attendants
regarding the Air Carrier Access Act. Of course we weren't there to hear the
airline's side of the story. Usually I have no trouble when I fly. But just
when you think the attendants all get it, something happens that leaves you
frustrated and shaking your head. Like the time the flight attendant became
upset with me when I dared to tell him that my dog could indeed fit under
the seat. He kept insisting there was no way. One problem these days is that
there's so little maneuvering room between your seat and the back of the one
in front of you that it's a struggle to get the pooch down and settled in
that very small area. Anyway, the attendant was very rude when all I said
was that he needn't worry, that I could get the dog settled, but that I
needed a bit more time to accomplish it. It was annoying since none of that
nonsense needed to happen.
Well, I'll stop ranting so you can read the article now (lol)
Sherrill

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]On Behalf Of cheryl
echevarria
Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2013 2:18 PM
To: travelandtourism; NAGDU Talk List; nyagdu
Subject: [nagdu] US Airways passengers stand up for blind man removed
from flight


Passengers aboard a US Airways flight in Philadelphia on Wednesday banded
together in support for a legally blind man who was kicked off the plane for
his unruly guide dog.Flight attendants said Albert Rizzi’s guide dog was out
of control, but other passengers wholeheartedly disagreed, refusing to fly
with the airline if the blind man wasn’t allowed on the plane, ABC 7
reported.
The flight was canceled and the passengers were bused to Long Island by the
airline.Passengers told the station that the flight attendant wouldn’t clear
the flight for takeoff without the dog going under the plane’s seat. The dog
waited under the seat at first, but after the plane sat on the tarmac for
about an hour and a half, the dog became restless.“The lady comes back and
gets very insistent, and I said, ‘Look, I don’t understand what you want me
to do.’ I said, ‘He’s as best as he can, he’s where he needs to be,’” Mr.
Rizzi said.One passenger said others came to the man’s defense.
“She came back and said to him, ‘You’ve got about a minute to get this
straightened out,’” the passenger told ABC 7. “And he tried to do whatever
he could, and she went back to the front of the plane. We were taxiing like
we were going to take off. And at that point in time, we’re about to take
off, and all the sudden the captain gets on the PA and says we have to head
back to the terminal. … We were all kind of raised our voices and said this
is a real problem. So the captain winds up coming out of the cockpit, and he
basically asked us all to leave the aircraft.”Officials at US Airways said
Mr. Rizzi was belligerent and the crew’s safety was in jeopardy, but other
passengers said that isn’t true.
Mr. Rizzi took to Facebook to express his disappointment.
“I cannot believe this. I was removed from the plane that I was supposed to
be on to go home from Philadelphia because my dog couldn’t sit in a spot for
an hour and a half on the tarmac such a joke,” he said, adding that the
other passengers were very supportive.
“There were 35 people on the flight tonight. Every one of them stood up in
solidarity for the discriminatory treatment I received and the way my dog
was unwelcome on the flight,” he said.Miriam Woods Baxter commented: “My
brother-in-law was on the plane with you. He is disgusted with the way you
were treated. I’m sorry you were treated this way.”

Read more:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/14/us-airways-passengers-revolt
-after-staff-kicks-bli/#ixzz2keIvgEeS Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in
Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria,
Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel.com
 Your old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child.  Donate
your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking www.nfb.org/vehicledonations or call
855-659-9314. Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith.
www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary
of the NFB of Alabama
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