[NAGDU] [nagdu] Blanket Prosciption Against Advance Notice

[Danielle Ledet]

Delta is awesome! there attendants are very well educated on these things.

On 9/8/15, David via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
>   Marion said, "As we have said so many times before, never, never,
>   never give advance notice that you have a guide dog. This only creates
>   problems, since the guide dog is irrelevant."
>
>   Dear Marion, I realize that as a new NAGDU member and newly minted
>   guide dog handler, I may have less of a basis for an opinion on your
>   statement, above, than you or others.
>
>   As with most blanket proscriptions, however, I feel that there are
>   nuanced and important exceptions that should be noted or discussed. I
>   generally agree with your proscription as it applies to hostelries,
>   restaurants and most forms of transportation. I understand that a
>   simple rule can help corral the tendencies of many us toward
>   over-disclosure, but my experience so far has been different -- at
>   least with respect to travel on one airline. Before I retired 9 years
>   ago while I was cane traveling for years. I often traveled as much as
>   80,000 miles by air. I am very familiar with many airports, with the
>   demeanor of airline personnel, and many of the peculiar exigencies of
>   travel while visually impaired.
>
>   My experience while flying with my 70 lb pup, Claire Rose, on Delta
>   Airlines has been extremely positive, however. Flight attendants have
>   been solicitous and have even offered to relocate an Emotional Support
>   Animal that was creating a disturbance. Because I must use connecting
>   flights to many locations from the Tampa airport, it is often quite
>   difficult to create connections with sufficient time between flights
>   in Atlanta to go outside security and return so that I have enough
>   time to relieve Claire Rose. Calling the regular reservation number at
>   Delta is vexatious at best and operators are often not helpful. The
>   connection with a representative can take a very long time and
>   disconnects are not uncommon.
>
>
>   Delta, however, has a disability line that is answered quickly. The
>   reps with whom I have talked are knowledgeable about seating space and
>   ask about seating preferences. During my last reservation the rep
>   moved passengers with existing reserved seats so that Claire Rose
>   could be accommodated in a seat with a larger floor area. Connection
>   times that would have taken me hours to try to figure out online were
>   resolved during my 15 minute call and I was asked whether they could
>   provide me with assistance to exit and return from the relieving area
>   outside the commercial car pickup area at the end of the airport.
>   Since I was based in Atlanta for 16 years and know the airport well,
>   this wasn't necessary.
>
>   Nearly all of us have experienced ignorance, discrimination, and
>   prejudice, but I think there are times when we need to temper
>   stridency with respect for others. When a company shows itself to be
>   responsive and is demonstrably accommodating my needs, I am more than
>   willing to give them advance notice, so that they do not have to
>   scramble to accommodate me at the last minute with harried gate
>   personnel handling overbooked flights, weather delays and
>   'temporarily' disabled passengers.
>
>
> -- David and Claire Rose in Clearwater, FL
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-- 
Danielle

Email: singingmywayin at gmail.com