[nagdu] NFB and Airlines

[Steve Jacobson]

Tami,

The long struggle we have had with the airlines has been very frustrating.  As has been mentioned, we've had significant problems over the past 30 or more 
years.  I was one who was arrested for not moving from an exit row back in the 80's, and while I feel I was right, I am frustrated that my actions did not lead 
to more changes.  However, the NFB was very active in assisting a number of us in the 1980's and we came very close to getting some real protection 
passed through Congress.  Unfortunately, terrorism and the experiences in most recent years has made it more difficult to take a legal approach with the 
airlines.  However, there are some protections in law that can still help us.  Often, the problems we encounter with airlines are not truly the result of airline 
policies but are rather poor implementations of policy by specific staff.  While it is not likely, in my opinion, that we can do much in terms of getting new laws 
passed in the current climate, and while individuals may have less of a chance of success than we did back in the 1980's by refusing to obey policies that 
were not supported by law, resisting policies and complaining through various complaint mechanisms can help.  While airlines tend to have a good deal of 
power now because of laws related to anti-terrorism, they also have a fairly poor image with their customers and are sometimes responsive to complaints.  

While you are right that there is no single way to bring about change now, resisting or complaining about policies that you feel are not fair can help.  It also 
helps to be knowledgeable about the law.  While the ADA may have some impact, there are specific laws that govern airline travel.  Never mind the fact 
that we shouldn't have to deal with any of this, the fact is that we do, fair or not.  While the kinds of changes we may once have hoped for are not likely to 
happen quickly, we do not have to sit back and take whatever is thrown at us, either.  We are also hurt by the fact that there are blind people out there 
who feel if they are not able to do a given thing then nobody can.  That is also an unfortunate fact of life,  but that isn't anything new.  Still, it makes sense 
for us to evaluate our own abilities honestly as well.  The idea here is not that one size fits all, it is that each of us has different abilities and challenges and 
may need different levels of assistance.  This can actually make life confusing for airline personnel, but we need to keep working with them and with each 
other.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Fri, 29 Oct 2010 22:41:23 -0700, Tamara Smith-Kinney wrote:

>Well...  I do see where you're coming from.  However, it is astonishing how
>much attitudes change when the consequences of the actions based on the bad
>attitudes are real and immediate and have direct connection to the bad
>behavior...  Operant conditing 101, really.  Only with humans, you have to
>sometimes apply harsh and punitive negative reinforcement just to get their
>attention.

>In other words, so long as we let the airlines and any other entity guilty
>of gross mistreatment of the disabled or any other minority -- and thus
>perceived as powerless group -- get away with it, they will continue with
>their bad behavior because they will not only get away with it but be
>rewarded by it.

>What can we as individuals do?  Not a g*d* freakin' thing.  Because we as
>individuals can almost (but not quite) afford the attorney fees.  Or the
>time.  Or the energy.  Or the real financial burden from both of those.

>So...  I'm with Cathryn.  So long as we and the NFB let these people -- and
>others -- get away with their bad behavior, they will continue to pratice
>it.

>If I had a practical solution, I would offer it.  More money and more
>personal advocacy and attorneys ready to leap to deal with individual
>incidents would be great...  It's coming up with that kind of money and that
>kind of manpower that stumps me.  I do what I can, and that currently ain't
>much.  Maybe someday, for me, but for now I just have to deal with what I
>can (me, then the Oregon Commission for Blind) and spout off opinions.
>/smile/

>Tami Smith-Kinney

>-----Original Message-----
>From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>Of Cindy Ray
>Sent: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 5:16 PM
>To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>Subject: Re: [nagdu] NFB and Airlines

>Cathryn, I think it is pretty unfair to say that the airlines will do
>whatever the NFB and others will let them get away with. As Peter has
>stated, this sort of thing has been going on for at least 30 years. People
>have been arrested for standing up for their rights on planes. Others have
>managed to garner bad will of other passengers. NFB has had cases; we once
>demonstrated at the FAA during a convention. Just this week a suit has been
>filed against United concerning the inaccessibility of the kiosks (sp), and
>there are plenty of instances where members have been able to get airlines
>to admit to the fact there are really no rules. I think this is something
>that will continue as long as the attitudes exist that are. You can pass
>laws but attitudes take time, and more time than we mostly have patience
>with, but I think it some unfair to say what you have said here unless I am
>truly missing something. 

>CL


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