[nabs-l] To Charter or Not to Charter

Peter Donahue pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net
Mon May 17 19:09:07 UTC 2010 

Hello Steve and everyone,

    While still more costly than traveling on the airlines private air 
charter does have advantages over this traditional mode of air 
transportation. Air taxis are bringing the cost of private air travel down 
to within range of individuals or small groups who want to fly to airports 
closer to their final destination, to avoid many of the problems faced by 
blind airline passengers and passengers in general, and have a superior air 
travel experience.

    If there are small groups of federationists willing to depart and return 
to the same airports this is an exciting new direction we can take when 
traveling by air. If each member of a group pays a portion of the cost or if 
fundraisers are undertaken to finance such a venture it is possible to enjoy 
a privilege once reserved only for the rich and famous.

    My experience with Southwest Airlines last year fired our interest in 
finding another way to fly particularly as we were facing issues that fell 
outside of the blindness realm. Ten years ago the late Michael C. Osborn 
made it his personal crusade to insure that those who used guide dogs could 
bring them in to the United Kingdom without the dog's having to undergo the 
long six-month quarantine period and to be able to accompany its owner in 
the aircraft cabin on the inbound leg of the trip. This campaign was later 
joined by many in the assistance dog community including the NFB. His 
campaign was a smashing success. It is now possible to bring guide dogs to 
the UK that meet the eligibility rules for entry under the UK'S Pet Travel 
Scheme without the dog needing to undergo quarantine and guide dogs can 
accompany blind persons in the airplane cabin on both legs of their trip to 
the UK. It was possible to have a guide dog accompany its blind owner in the 
plane cabin when flying in to the UK aboard an air charter before it became 
possible to do so on a scheduled airline.

    In Mike's spirit as a result of what happened last summer I made it my 
personal crusade to seek out a new direction when it comes to traveling by 
air and want to urge others to consider this possibility particularly if you 
live in areas with airports not served by the airlines. This may not be 
practical for every situation but it's another option to consider.

Peter Donahue



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 17, 2010 9:08 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Fwd: [Members] Airlineapologizes 
forforgettingblindteen


Peter,

I'm glad that chartering works for you, but it really isn't practical for 
most people or for most trips.  We shouldn't have to
charter an aircraft to get the service and treatment that others are 
getting.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Sun, 16 May 2010 21:56:29 -0500, Peter Donahue wrote:

>Hello J.J. and everyone,

>,

>    If you charter an entire airplane the whole aircraft cabin and hold are
>yours no Fed-X required.

>Peter Donahue


>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "J.J. Meddaugh" <jj at bestmidi.com>
>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:39 PM
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Fwd: [Members] Airline apologizes
>forforgettingblindteen


>Charter a plane? Why not Fedex?
>I know of lots of people doing this to avoid checked bag fees and the like.

>J.J.

>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
>To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
><nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 2:30 PM
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Fwd: [Members] Airline apologizes for
>forgettingblindteen


>> Hello Briley and everyone,
>>
>>    Unless you charter your own plane. Problems solved! We'll be doing 
>> that
>> this year as a result of having $1000.00 of professional recording
>> equipment
>> damaged by lovable Southwest Airlines. Add moving in to a new place in to
>> the mix and you have a prime example of how a blind person can over-come
>> issues of that nature despite the cost of doing so. See you in Dallas.
>>
>> Peter Donahue
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Briley Pollard" <brileyp at gmail.com>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2010 8:47 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Fwd: [Members] Airline apologizes for forgetting
>> blindteen
>>
>>
>> My fear is also that because of this, the next time I fly, I'm going to 
>> be
>> harassed more than I already am. I'm a 23 year old woman, and I 
>> appreciate
>> one or two offers of help to find my gate or my seat, but grabbing my arm
>> and insisting that your job is to help me because I'm blind and must not
>> know where I'm going, (yes this has happened quite a few times), is
>> ridiculous. This kind of story is going to perpetuate the image that 
>> blind
>> people are helpless and can't even get off of a plane by themselves. It 
>> is
>> frustrating to me. I don't know this girl personally, so nothing of what 
>> I
>> say is meant to be taken that way. But I'd be really embarrassed if this
>> story was published about me.
>>
>> Briley
>> On May 15, 2010, at 8:17 PM, Harry Hogue wrote:
>>
>>> This is ridiculous.  At least be proactive in mentioning your needs, 
>>> even
>>> if
>>> you are not comfortable with traveling off the plane yourself.  And of
>>> course, if you make headlines, naturally the airline will apologize; 
>>> they
>>> do
>>> not want the adverse publicity resulting from not apologizing, etc.
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Sarah Alawami
>>> Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2010 6:19 PM
>>> To: nabs list list
>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Fwd: [Members] Airline apologizes for forgetting blind
>>> teen
>>>
>>> I think she should have gotten off the plain by her self. How hard can
>>> that
>>> be? just  get off and turn right and go up the ramp thing and turn left
>>> and
>>> get out and then wait for your escort. but here's the story.
>>>
>>> Airline apologizes for forgetting blind teen
>>>
>>> Edmonton Journal , May 15, 2010
>>>
>>> United Airlines has apologized to a blind woman from Vancouver Island 
>>> who
>>> was abandoned on an empty plane in Chicago.
>>>
>>> Jessica Cabot of Courtenay, B.C., made headlines this week after she 
>>> went
>>> public about being forgotten in an empty United Airlines plane on an
>>> April
>>> 7
>>> stopover in Chicago.
>>>
>>> The 18-year-old was waiting for flight attendants to escort her to a
>>> connecting flight to Florida when she heard the plane door seal shut. 
>>> Ten
>>> minutes later two maintenance staff happened to find her on an
>>> unscheduled
>>> check of the plane.
>>>
>>> She panicked in the plane, calling for help.
>>>
>>> After a series of complaints, Cabot received a $250 airline voucher and
>>> the
>>> promise of an apology. Five weeks after her flight and a series of news
>>> stories later, she finally got one.
>>>
>>> "They just called," said Cabot, on the phone from Jacksonville, Fla.,
>>> where
>>> she is visiting her fiance. "I can't even count how many times they said
>>> sorry."
>>>
>>>
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>>
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