[nagdu] self identification

Mon Nov 25 01:43:23 UTC 2013

Personally, I think this whole matter of self-identification is a personal choice. I, too, let the airline know ahead of time that I will be traveling with a guide dog. I also let them know that I will need assistance to baggage claim. I know many choose not to do these things, and that's fine. Everyone is free to make their own choices. Even if I disagree with a choice someone else makes, I don't think I have the right to pressure them into changing it. I cannot make some give advance notice, just as others cannot make me stop.

As for the bulkhead, I do use it, and it has worked well for me. I know people feel it's unsafe, but I've never had a bad experience there. Might I in the future? I suppose it's as likely as anything else.

Shannon and the Acelet
On Nov 24, 2013, at 8:07 PM, "Jenine Stanley" <jeninems at wowway.com> wrote:

> Marion, it's not exactly a rhetorical question. 
> 
> If you want an accommodation under the ACAA, then you do have to self
> identify. If you don't, then you don't. Very simple. 
> 
> I want the flexibility to ask for a different seat than the one either they
> assign me or change me to and so I do self identify. My choice, not my edict
> for all. 
> 
> It's just like Michael noted with frequent travelers tending not to want
> bulkhead seating at all, because we know the risks and have experienced some
> of the issues with being placed there. Yet, others choose these seats, for
> their own reasons. 
> 
> I'm glad NAGDU is helping to educate the airline industry. We all need to do
> so by not only reporting bad behavior but rewarding good behavior with
> things like positive comments if we had a good experience or got something
> worked out reasonably. 
> 
> 
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of National
> Association of Guide Dog Users
> Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 7:20 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] self identification
> 
> Jenine,
> 	Does the ACAA require blind or otherwise disabled people to give
> advance notice? Since this is a rhetorical question, how does this fulfill
> any legal responsibility? I think the better approach is to help educate our
> peers and the airline industry. NAGDU is working on doing this very
> diligently and Albert's experience will be a good example to the industry as
> to why it would be good to work with us!
> 
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion Gwizdala
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jenine Stanley
> Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 11:03 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] self identification
> 
> OK Marion, here's my reasoning. 
> 
> Granted, the airlines seem indeed to make it up as they go along in terms of
> seating.  However, if we do have adverse situations like what happened to Al
> Rizzi and we have to deal with completely unreasonable crew members, it's
> just my belief that we should have all of our legal ducks in a row. 
> 
> Hey Airline staff, I self identified. I asked to pre-board. I asked for a
> specific seat with a specific reason for that request. It's not like I just
> showed up and you had no idea what to do. I, unlike you, followed the
> regulations set forth in the Air Carriers Access Act. 
> 
> Sadly these days it's all about CYA. 
> 
> Now, if you don't care about what seat you have and are fine with the seat
> assigned, then no, there's no need to self identify as you don't need to do
> that for pre-boarding, until you are literally at the gate that is. 
> 
> I look at this whole thing as one of those situations in which we are
> eventually, through the formal complaint processes, going to hammer the
> actual rules into people. I fear I'm way, way, way too optimistic. :) Jenine
> Stanley jeninems at wowway.com http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of National
> Association of Guide Dog Users
> Sent: Sunday, November 24, 2013 6:01 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] self identification
> 
> Jenine,
> 	I agree with #3, if one needs a certain seat; however, I'm not sure
> how either the restricted environment or the desire to pre-board would
> require advance notification. Merry and I generally pre-board for the same
> reasons you state and neither of us have ever given advance notification.
> Maybe you can share a little more about this.
> 
> Fraternally yours,
> Marion
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jenine Stanley
> Sent: Saturday, November 23, 2013 10:46 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: [nagdu] self identification
> 
> Marion, 
> 
> I agree with you in most cases. Self identification just is not necessary as
> someone working with any type of assistance dog. 
> 
> Air travel though is a bit different in a couple ways. I do self identify
> there because: 
> 
> 1. It's a very restricted environment. It's not like another plane will just
> pull up to take you where you want to go. 
> 2. I want to pre-board for very specific reasons, to get the seat I want,
> which I'm pretty proactive about, and to get all dog-related issues settled
> ASAP so I can plug in and tune out. :) 3. But most importantly, under the
> Air Carrier Access Act, if I want a specific seat or type of seat as an
> accommodation for dog, I have to self identify, at least 48 hours before the
> flight. 
> 
> So there ya go. 
> 
> Do I do this with taxi cabs, restaurants, stores, etc.? Absolutely not. 
> 
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
> 
> 
> 
> 
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