[nagdu] You are required to sit in the bulkhead.

Sun Nov 25 21:46:54 UTC 2012

Oh, sure, if we can't resolve it, but you can't just sue without trying. I have a complaint written. Their submission form isn't big enough for the description. 

CL

On Nov 25, 2012, at 3:39 PM, RJ Sandefur wrote:

> Two words Law suit! RJ
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bunny Davidson" <bunnydavidson at live.com>
> To: "National Association of Guide Dog Users" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2012 2:57 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] You are required to sit in the bulkhead.
> 
> 
>> 
>> SORRY to hear you were so hassled Cindy Lou...the FAA has a page on regulations
>> and i had to look it up years ago when i was similarly strong-armed and discriminated against.
>> How come whenever 'we' try to stand up for our rights, no matter how loud we are or aren't
>> we get accused of 'disruption' and/or 'yelling'?
>> 
>> i recommend looking up the faa page @ guide dogs and print it out, and mail it to ceo of southwest
>> with copy of your emial post you sent us...
>> 
>> see what they do...
>> 
>> blessings...
>> bunny
>>> From: info at michaelhingson.com
>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2012 22:22:22 -0800
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] You are required to sit in the bulkhead.
>>> 
>>> I continue to be amazed at the number of airline personnel who think we MUST
>>> sit in the bulkhead row.  THIS IS NOT TRUE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. There
>>> are no FAA regulations which require this, and the ACAA does not mandate it
>>> either.
>>> 
>>> I also continue to be amazed at the number of schools that continue to tell
>>> the airlines the best place for guide dogs in in the bulkhead row.
>>> 
>>> Very few dogs really take up so much room that they need to sit in these
>>> front rows.  Most ALL of us can train our guides to go under the seats in
>>> front of us.  The dogs really are comfortable there and they are MUCH safer
>>> in non-bulkhead rows.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Best,
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Michael Hingson
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy Ray
>>> Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2012 5:23 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] You are required to sit in the bulkhead.
>>> 
>>> I don't understand what you are saying here. Do you mean you flew Southwest
>>> and got a tray table in the bulkhead?
>>> 
>>> Cindy Lou
>>> 
>>> On Nov 24, 2012, at 7:18 PM, rhonda cruz wrote:
>>> 
>>> > hello i have used to fly two times with mya. and i got a tray table.
>>> > and mya can fit under the chair.
>>> > vary well.
>>> > she falls a sleep.
>>> >
>>> > On Nov 24, 2012, at 4:44 PM, Cindy Ray wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> I thought this was old news until I went to Houston Monday night. I >> flew
>>> on Southwest Airlines. They have open seating. I got on early, but there
>>> were a number of folks getting on then, so I elected the bulkhead row as
>>> requested. Bear in mind that previously I had flown not less than four
>>> flights where this was not an issue. When I boarded in Chicago, the crew
>>> member said that I was required to sit in the bulkhead. I told him that I
>>> was not required to sit there. (I wanted a tray table.) He said that I was,
>>> and I asked him why. He responded that this was because of the dog. I told
>>> him that I had done a lot of flying, and I knew for a fact that I was not
>>> required to sit there. However, I was going to arrive in Houston late, so I
>>> decided to get with it. I said I would, but I knew that I was not required
>>> to. The service agent came on board and told me I was required to sit there.
>>> (I had now fastened my seatbelt.) I said I was sitting there, but he would
>>> have to show me that this was required, and he said I could find it on their
>>> web site. Then he said that I was not to argue with a crew member and could
>>> be removed from the flight if I persisted. I said that I was not arguing, I
>>> was just stating that I am not required to sit there.
>>> >>
>>> >> A little later, a woman came on board, and she verified that I was
>>> correct in stating that I need not ride there, but their concern was that
>>> the dog couldn't be made to fold small enough. Their seating areas aren't
>>> ample, but I think it can be done. I would have been willing to try other
>>> seats to see if we could work it out, but by then I was a little tired of
>>> the whole thing.
>>> >>
>>> >> Friday, I returned. When I boarded in Houston, armed with the >> knowledge
>>> that I don't have to sit in the bulkhead, I began to head back farther in
>>> the cabin. A crew member said that I was required to sit in the bulkhead
>>> with the dog, and I said I wasn't required to do that, that just Monday a
>>> woman at their airlines had agreed with me. But again, I did not want to
>>> hasslwe with it too much, but I did want to sit elsewhere. He said he was
>>> going to talk to his supervisor, and I suggested that he not bother with it.
>>> I put my bag up above and sat in the required location. Chris came on board,
>>> and she told me I was required to sit there. I said, fine, but I had done a
>>> lot of flying and hadn't received this kind of treatment from an airlines in
>>> years. She said that planes vary. Well, duyh. I told her just about the only
>>> place he couldn't ride was the two and one planes where there is just one
>>> seat down the aisle on the right as you go in. I don't even remember all she
>>> said, but she said I needed to not be yelling at crew members. I said to her
>>> that I had not been, and I hadn't. She it had been reported by other
>>> passengers and passengers panic. I said I had not been, alhtough by then I
>>> was tempted, and I told her I was so done with the topic right now and
>>> pretty much done with Southwest. She told me I wasn't being cooperative. I'm
>>> not sure where that came from because I was in the bulkhead with the
>>> seatbelt fastened. I told her I really wouldn't mind being there, but I
>>> really wanted to sit where I can have a tray table. Those planes don't have
>>> any, not even in the arms of the seats. So she then said she was going to
>>> talk with the captain. Nothing ever came of that, and I really felt that
>>> intimidation tactics had been used. The rest of the flight was without
>>> incident since I didn't have to change in Chicago to return to Des Moines.
>>> >>
>>> >> The Southwest planes are small, as I said, and I suspect that really >> this
>>> is the most comfortable place for my particular dog as he is rather large,
>>> though not mamoth. Here is what I found at their web site concerning
>>> bringing service dogs into the flight:
>>> >>
>>> >> Trained Assistance Animals
>>> >>
>>> >> Southwest Airlines welcomes trained assistance animals on all of our
>>> flights. Except when too large to be safely accommodated, a trained
>>> assistance animal traveling with and providing assistance to a Customer with
>>> a disability will be accommodated in the aircraft cabin. In accordance with
>>> federal safety regulations, the animal must be positioned so as not to
>>> obstruct Customers' expeditious evacuation in the unlikely event of an
>>> emergency.
>>> >>
>>> >> Now, I get this, and if I had sat in another seat where it made it >> more
>>> than inconvenient for the seats to be shared by other passengers, I would be
>>> glad to consent to the bulkhead, but I believe it is not a requirement.
>>> >>
>>> >> Cindy Lou
>>> >> \
>>> >> _______________________________________________
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>>> >
>>> >
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