[nagdu] NFB and Airlines

Peter Donahue pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com
Wed Oct 27 20:50:10 UTC 2010


Good afternoon everyone,

    In the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s we've had various airline and 
airtravel regulatory officials at our national conventions. The 
receptiveness of these individuals to our concerns was mixed at best. If you 
can get your hands on them listen to recordings from the 1978, 1983, 1984, 
1985, 1986, 1987, and the 1988 national conventions; 1986 in particular. The 
entire afternoon session on the first day of general sessions was taken up 
with matters related to the airlines. Dr. Jernigan's reaction, and that of 
others to the way we were treated by some of the airline officials to our 
concerns with  quite disgusting. Dr. Jernigan was so angry that we didn't 
have a closing door prize that afternoon. I know because I was there.

    I find it sad to think that despite passage of the Air Carrier Access 
Act which has been in force since 1986 we're hearing about an alarming 
number of cases of mistreatment of the blind and other disabled individuals 
by the nation's airlines. It's no wonder some of us are looking for 
alternatives to traveling on the flying bus. Perhaps the airlines need a 
reminder that we didn't go away and will take additional action to end the 
abuse of blind passengers by them.

Peter Donahue

  ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chasity Jackson" <chasityvanda at charter.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 2:22 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] US Airways Responds To Criticism From 
DisabledPassengers


I went on the website and read a comment. There is one comment there from a
lady that said, "Then if something happens, they sue the airline. Maybe they
should have "rent-a-companion" for people who need help. What a stupid
uninformed person.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Passle Helminski" <passle at roadrunner.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 4:08 PM
Subject: [nagdu] US Airways Responds To Criticism From Disabled Passengers


> >
>><http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=117192&catid=158&GID=VIcPW/3mzmqUWYQrnCud/KWmoOjUm3RCzpLcNm+02MI%3D>http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=117192&catid=158&GID=VIcPW/3mzmqUWYQrnCud/KWmoOjUm3RCzpLcNm+02MI%3D
>>
>>US Airways Responds To Criticism From Disabled Passengers
>>
>>A US Airways employee allegedly deemed the frequent business traveler "too
>>disabled to fly" without an assistant. And apparently, that wasn't an
>>isolated case.
>>
>>"This is a flat out issue of civil rights," said Johnnie Tuitel. He has
>>cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, but that hasn't kept Tuitel from
>>logging half a million miles of business travel on airlines. But on a
>>recent flight, a US Airways employee removed Tuitel from his seat and told
>>him he was "too disabled to fly alone."
>>
>>"We're sitting together on the plane, something happens. Are you going to
>>help me? Of course you will," said Tuitel.
>>
>>US Airways has a policy that requires passengers with severe mobility
>>impairments to travel with someone to help them evacuate in the event of
>>an emergency.
>>
>>"Well we passed the civil rights law, the Americans with Disabilities Act,
>>20 years ago, but that doesn't change attitudes overnight," said Andy
>>Imparato, the President and CEO of the American Association of People with
>>Disabilities.
>>
>>"I was furious. And I was angry," said Jim Dickson. He was so upset
>>because a similar incident happened to him, also on US Airways. Blind,
>>Dickson always travels with his service dog, Pierson. They flew from DC to
>>Charlotte without a hitch. But after boarding the next flight, he was told
>>to get off.
>>
>>"It's just infuriating. And I basically don't fly USAir anymore," said
>>Dickson.
>>
>>Luckily, he'd packed the paperwork three US Airways agents told him he
>>wouldn't need -- verification that Pierson is a service dog and up to date
>>on his shots. Dickson was eventually allowed to return to his seat and fly
>>to his destination.
>>
>>Written by Andrea McCarren
>>9NEWS NOW & wusa9.com
>
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