[nabs-l] Experiences with American Airlines

[Kirt]

Chris,
I will second what Dave said. You can have great experiences with airline staff, or terrible experiences with airline staff, and I don't really think that's very attributable to the specific airline you are using. Incidentally, when I deal with airport/airline personnel, I find that my experiences are either very positive, with employees who treat me better than most people do… Or very terrible, with employees who treat me much worse than most people do. It tends to either be one extreme or the other, very rarely just middle of the road. This has been my experience, anyhow,
Best,
Kirts

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 12, 2015, at 2:24 AM, David Andrews via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Two things, the security scanning is run by a federal agency, not airlines, so there should be no difference.  Personally I think we should be agreeable about having our canes scanned, we as blind people don't want to be seen as a henderence to security.
> 
> As to your second concern, there are good stories and horror stories with each airline, including Southwest.  Overall, there are probably better and worse, but part of the problem is the individual inconsistency.  With any large organization, it is hard to  train everybody well, and have people act in the same way, interpret things the same way etc.
> 
> Dave
> 
> 
> At 07:26 PM 6/10/2015, you wrote:
>> Hello All,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Next week my mom and I will fly out to California to participate in the
>> National Braille Challenge competition. Due to the circumstances of this
>> particular trip and the family vacation which proceeds it, we have to fly
>> American Airlines rather than our usual Southwest. This change of airline is
>> naturally a cause for some degree of concern and curiosity on my part.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> As has been the case with many other blind people, I have not experienced
>> any issues which stem from my blindness or my use of a white cane when
>> flying Southwest. Though I am often required to hand over my cane in order
>> for them to pass it through the mettle detector at security, I have always
>> gotten it back promptly and have had no trouble carrying it on the plane
>> with me. Southwest's staff have been in general very accommodating. However,
>> this will be my first time flying American. What experiences-positive or
>> negative-have you had when flying this airline? Has the staff been helpful
>> without being overly so? Have you faced any discrimination problems with
>> this airline? I believe the Federation has had a contentious history with
>> American due to their past discrimination against blind passengers during
>> the 1980s and early 90s. However, I recognize that this may have changed in
>> recent years. I look forward to reading any insights you can share.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Chris Nusbaum
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Chris Nusbaum, Vice President
>> 
>> Maryland Association of Blind Students
>> 
>> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
>> 
>> Phone: (443) 547-2409
>> 
>> Email: dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
>> 
>> Twitter: @Chrisn98 and @NFBMD
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 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 for 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.
> 
>        David Andrews and long white cane Harry.
> E-Mail:  dandrews at visi.com or david.andrews at nfbnet.org
> 
> 
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