[nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you have a dog

Robert Stigile rstigile at sbcglobal.net
Wed Apr 14 16:50:50 UTC 2010


Hello All,
I can safely say, that Guide Dogs of America, stated when I was 
getting my current dog two years ago, that they tell people, you 
can sit in bulkhead if you prefer that, and they also tell people 
the best way to put a dog in under the seat in front of you, if 
you wish to sit in a regular seat as well.
So, they do not push bulkhead, they actually prefer that you sit 
in regular seating with your dog, unless they are giving you a 
dog that is large, they will then recommend that you sit in 
bulkhead.
I hope this helps,


Robert Stigile
E-mail: rstigile at sbcglobal.net
Skype: robertstigile1


 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Hingson" <mhingson at sbcglobal.net
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users'" <nagdu at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:36:20 -0700
Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you 
have a dog

Actually several schools have made these recommendations.


The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
     “Speaking with Vision”
                 Michael Hingson, President
                         (415) 827-4084
                   info at michaelhingson.com
                   www.michaelhingsoncom


for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit:
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-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
On Behalf
Of Steve Johnson
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 4:16 AM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you 
have a dog

I think we need to be careful here, as to the best of my 
knowledge, only one
school thus far has made these statements and inferring that the 
*schools
believe they need to even say that the airlines should be 
notified* to me,
is making a broad brush statement that other schools are doing or 
have done
this, and I don't think it is something we want to do without 
having factual
information that supports this.

Thank you,

Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
On Behalf
Of Michael Hingson
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 10:17 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you 
have a dog

Hi all,

I am with Marion on this one.  I find that airline personnel tend 
to make up
rules often as they go along.  They do so whether or not I tell 
them I use a
guide dog, but it tends to be worse if they know in advance.

It is unfortunate that the schools believe they need to even say 
that the
airlines should be notified.  The schools are promulgating 
something better
off handled in a different way.

I find that when confronted by an airline person who says I must 
sit in the
bulkhead I simply ask "show me the law".  The airlines keep 
copies of their
manuals, policies and related materials on all aircraft.  If they 
cannot
show me the law usually that is the end of it.  I have had more
confrontational situations as some on this list know.  An airline 
was taken
to court by me and the NFB in the 1980s.  We settled that case, 
but I fear
that airlines did not learn from their mistakes.

International flights may be a different situation depending on 
the laws of
the countries to which we are traveling.  If we need to inform an 
airline
for the purpose of international travel it is not for the benefit 
of the
airline but rather because the country involved requires 
notification from
the airline prior to the trip as well as on approach.

Many guide dog schools either explicitly or implicitly encourage 
bulkhead
seating for guide dog users under the premise that there is more 
room for
the dog.  This is also unfortunate especially since the bulkhead 
is the most
dangerous place for a dog.


Mike Hingson


The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
     “Speaking with Vision”
                 Michael Hingson, President
                         (415) 827-4084
                   info at michaelhingson.com
                   www.michaelhingsoncom


for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit:
http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com





-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
On Behalf
Of Marion Gwizdala
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:06 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you 
have a dog

Jenine,
    Perhaps the "better way" to handle this is to not notify the 
airlines we

will be traveling with a guide dog or other service animal and 
require them
to follow the law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of 
disability!
I once traveled from Tampa to St.Louis, MO to do an educational 
program on
the ADA to attorneys and police officers on behalf of the 
Illinois Attorney
General's Office and had a flight attendant "advise" me that I 
was required
to sit in a bulkhead seat.  When I "advised" her that I would not 
sit there,
she told me it was the law.  I again "advised" her as to where I 
was going,
what I would be doing there, and that I had a much better 
understanding of
the Air Carrier Access Act than she.  I further "advised" her 
that, if she
insisted on violating my civil rights by forcing me to accept an
accommodation I chose to refuse, I would file a Federal law suit 
against the

airlines and her.  After consulting with the pilot, she "advised" 
me that
they were going to make an exception for me! I wonder how many 
others she
intimidated into submission, violating their civil rights! It's 
too bad we
are "advised" to compromise our civil rights because of the 
ignorance and
custodialism of the airline industry!

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message -----
From: "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
Users'"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 9:25 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you 
have a dog


 Cheryl,

 The advice given on the call was general.  It was also meant to 
answer the
 issue of international travel.

 Technically, on flights within the continental US, if you do not 
plan to
 ask
 for any accommodations, such as the bulkhead seat, for your 
service
 animal,
 then it's your choice as to whether to notify the airline that 
you will be
 traveling with your dog.

 There are probably as many opinions about this as there are 
handlers.  If
 you
 just don't want the potential conflict or if you want to handle 
things at
 the start of your travel planning instead of at the jetway 
doors, then you
 might choose to notify the airline that you have a service 
animal.

 There is one instance in which you are required to notify the 
airline.
 That's if you have what is classified as a psychiatric service 
animal
 whose
 role is to assist you with tasks related to a mental health 
condition.
 Taking this type of dog, who often has fewer tasks in its 
training than a
 standard guide or service dog, does require prior notice and 
documentation
 provided to the airline.  This category does not affect most of 
us with
 guide
 dogs though.

 Remember that generally when we give advice to people about what 
we as the
 school think is correct, we do so based on the majority of 
people's
 comfort
 levels.  So though no, you technically are not required to 
notify airlines
 about your dog on domestic flights within the continental US, it 
certainly
 can lower stress levels for many people to do so.

 I fly a lot and always notify airlines that I am traveling with 
my dog.  I
 do
 it for a rather sideways reason though.  I want to make sure the 
flight
 crew
 knows that no, there is no federal law that requires me to sit 
in the
 bulkhead seats if I choose not to do so.

 Hope that clears things up.


 Jenine Stanley
 jeninems at wowway.com


 -----Original Message-----
 From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
On Behalf
 Of cheryl echevarria
 Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 7:26 PM
 To: nagdu
 Subject: [nagdu] why do we have to let airlines know that you 
have a dog

 On GDF conference call they are saying that we need to let 
airlines know
 we
 have guide dogs with us.

 Why, that is not so.

 Cheryl Echevarria
 Independent Travel Consultant
 C10-10646

 http://Echevarriatravel.com
 1-866-580-5574

 http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
 Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
 Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel
 CST-1018299-10


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