[nagdu] Quick-release handles: was Air Charters and the extra seat

[Tracy Carcione]

I usually put the harness between the seat and the wall, if I have a
window seat.  If I don't, I put it under my seat, ontop of somebody's
carry-on, if necessary.
A quick-release harness handle would sure be handy in such situations,
though I might still take off the harness, incase it got caught under the
seat somehow and the dog got stuck.

I've never been asked to give up my harness, or, if I was, I nixed the
idea so fast I've forgotten.
Tracy


> Wayne,
>
> This kind of experience is one reason I hope The Seeing Eye will consider
> ways to provide us with quick-release handles. If we can simply remove the
> harness handle, it will easily fit in the space between a window seat and
> the inside wall of the plane. This will allow both the human and dog to
> enjoy more room while they fly, while reducing the chances that a flight
> attendant would seek to remove the harness from the dog's owner.
>
> Also, some airline policies state that the dog must remain in harness at
> all
> times. If we had a quick-release handle, we could comply with such
> policies
> while gaining a bit more leg/dog room.
>
> I don't know how you feel about quick-release handles, but if you agree
> with
> me, I hope you will consider relating this experience to someone at Seeing
> Eye as a reason to consider quick-release handles.
>
> Angie
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Wayne Merritt
> Sent: Friday, August 28, 2009 11:15 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Air Charters and the extra seat
>
> I think he's referring to a part of airline history in the eighties
> where the airlines tried to take or in some cases took canes away from
> blind people, claiming that they were dangerous and could fly up and
> hit someone if something were to happen to the plane. Though I missed
> this part of airline history in my travels, I've still been asked a
> few times by flight attendants to give up my cane. I even explained to
> one persont that the cane was securely between my window seat and the
> inside wall of the plane; in other words, it wasn't going anywhere.
> I'm sad to say that I have been pushed into giving up my cane, with
> the flight attendant in question assuring me that she would put my
> cane in the closet at the front of the plane during the flight, but
> this has happened a very few times, thankfully.
>
> I did have one similar experience in my recent Florida travels, when
> they were trying to acccommodate my seating arrangement on one of
> those smaller express jets, where I had to give up my dog's harness. I
> chose not to make an issue of it since I was able to get a seat with
> potentially more room in the first class area, though we are still
> talking of those smaller jets. I was reminded of of the incidents of
> giving up canes though and wondered if giving up a harness was
> similar. Sadly, it does sound familiar to me. I was able to get the
> harness back when leaving the plane, but I still felt like something
> was violated by having to give up the harness. I tried to show the
> flight attendant that it was secure against the wall of the plane, but
> no dice. Thoughts?
>
> Hth,
> Wayne
>
>
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