[il-talk] The Seeing Eye responds to Delta's new service animal policy

Tue Jan 23 22:26:17 UTC 2018

Now we have more regressive policy from the airline industry toward blind
people.  We can only hope that Delta's competitors do not follow suit. I
have little confidence that the Federal Aviation Administration will nullify
this policy, based on its past history and practice.  This reminds me of the
exit row and cane controversies we had 30 to 40 years ago, culminating in
the passage of the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986.  Itss subsequent
regulations ironically have not helped blind people.  I know what it feels
like to experience airline arrogance toward blind people, having been denied
boarding in the mid 1980s.  I hope we can get this policy rescinded.

Cordially, Steve Hastalis
-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Patti Chang
via IL-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 2:47 PM
To: 'NFB of Illinois Mailing List' <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Patti Chang <pattischang at gmail.com>; 'Marion Gwizdala'
<blind411 at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [il-talk] The Seeing Eye responds to Delta's new service animal
policy

I suggest you reach out to our division for guide dog users. It is called
NAGDU and Marion Gwizdala is president. NAGDU is the best source for guide
dog info. 
I copied Marion here for your convenience. I have not yet seen anything on
this but I am not a dog handler. 

Patti Chang Esq.
Treasurer
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
(773) 307-6440
www.nfbofillinois.org

Find us on twitter: "NFBI"
Search for "National Federation of the Blind of Illinois" on facebook.

-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Harris Singer
via IL-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 8:05 AM
To: NFB of Illinois Mailing List <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Harris Singer <harris.singer at gmail.com>
Subject: [il-talk] The Seeing Eye responds to Delta's new service animal
policy

Good morning everyone,
I have a guide dog from the Seeing Eye and received the below message from
them regarding Delta Airlines new policy on service animals. The Seeing Eye
makes excellent points about the discrimination which will come with this
policy and the concern of it becoming an industry standard. Please read
below. Has the NFB taken a position on Delta's service animal policy? There
are links below which can bring you to file comment with the government
against Delta's new policy.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "advocacy at seeingeye.org" <advocacy at seeingeye.org>
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2018 05:01:52 -0600
Subject: The Seeing Eye responds to Delta's new service animal policy
To: Harris Singer <harris.singer at gmail.com>

The Seeing Eye

Dear fellow Seeing Eye graduate,

Many of you have contacted The Seeing Eye with concerns about Delta's new
service animal policy. The new requirements, effective March 1, call for
disabled passengers to take several steps before they will be allowed to fly
with a service animal. These steps include uploading proof of rabies and
distemper vaccinations to the Delta web site on an annual basis, and
requiring passengers to report to the check-in counter for verification each
time they go to the airport.

The Seeing Eye recognizes that all airlines must establish practical and
reasonable policies as part of ongoing efforts to keep passengers safe.
However, we believe that Delta's new service animal policy compromises the
rights of guide dog handler's to fly free from discrimination.

In response to Delta's new policy, and the likelihood that if left
unchallenged, other airlines will quickly adopt similar requirements, The
Seeing Eye has submitted the below complaint to the Aviation Consumer
Protection Division at the U.S. Department of Transportation:

1.  Passengers with guide dogs should be able to complete check-in online,
at a kiosk or curbside, just like anyone else. Instead, Delta's new policy
requires these passengers to "Visit the airport check-in counter", where the
disabled passenger's "request will be verified at the airport by a Delta
Representative." This is an undue burden and a serious inconvenience for
blind passengers -- especially when traveling with family, friends or
business colleagues who prefer to check-in curbside or  who have already
secured advance boarding passes. This practice violates the disabled
passenger's right to choose what check-in process works best for his/her
individual circumstances, and will likely force passengers to depend on
Delta representatives or others for additional assistance that they might
not otherwise require. Moreover, segregating blind passengers from their
traveling companions or other non-disabled passengers simply to enforce
compliance with a vaccination requirement that is already mandated by most
state laws is degrading and cause for considerable humiliation,
embarrassment, and loss of dignity.
2.  The 48-hour advance notice seems to preclude last minute or emergency
travel if the trip is the passenger's first flight of the renewal year.
3.  The policy fails to address what will happen when other airlines need to
reschedule disabled passengers onto Delta flights if those passengers do not
have the required documentation for their service animals.

Graduates who are concerned about this new policy are encouraged to submit
their own comments describing any negative impact on air travel on Delta by
completing the complaint form at:

http://support.seeingeye.org/site/R?i=MZ_YNFTGMlXh3qohbgNVrg

If your only means of contacting the Division is by phone, you may leave a
message at (202) 366-2220.

To read more about Delta's new service animal policy, visit:

http://support.seeingeye.org/site/R?i=IVB3eVCKIBe5AsvEBFIk-A

Sincerely,

Ginger Bennett Kutsch
Advocacy Specialist
The Seeing Eye, Inc.
Morristown, New Jersey
(973) 539-4425
www.seeingeye.org
http://support.seeingeye.org/site/R?i=U8Uwhg9t9twJpQzrsgjWAg

The Seeing Eye
10 Washington Valley Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
ph (973) 539-4425
e info at seeingeye.org

unsubscribe:
http://seeing.convio.net/site/CO?i=ZGgijsTF9PRQCJIILjwCUAUGQYAonf40&cid=1061

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