[NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off American Airline flight

Thu Mar 16 17:31:28 UTC 2017

Joe, you must not have had bad experiences with airlines.  Many of us have
and her story I do believe.  

Margo and isis

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe Orozco via
NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 11:49 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Joe Orozco
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off
American Airline flight

Can we agree we only have one side of the story here, and a limited one at
that? No, an airline should not kick someone off a flight, but to claim
danger to the flight, to me, suggests there could be more to the story. I
have seen fellow guide dog users become rather adamant in their defense of
their rights, and in a sensitive mode of transportation such as airplanes,
passengers with a variety of needs should be mindful of the hyper
sensitivity the crew is exercising in prioritizing security. I am glad
complaints are being filed. If wrong is proven, the airline should do a lot
more than issue an apology, but let's remember we only have limited facts
surrounding the incident.

Best,

Joe

On 3/16/17, Buddy Brannan via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Apology hell! She wants assurances and proof that they've had training 
> on, you know, things like what the ACAA says (how many ways can we 
> violate that in one flight?). But really, Sue Martin should freakin' 
> *own* her an airline. Just sayin. While this sort of behavior was more 
> common 30 years or so ago, ask Mike Hingson, just...wow.
>
> --
> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> Phone: 814-860-3194
> Mobile: 814-431-0962
> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>
>
>
>
>> On Mar 16, 2017, at 11:06 AM, Chantel Cuddemi via NAGDU 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> I saw that article on another list!
>> How horrible! I am very disappointed .
>> They owe her an apology for this.
>> Chantel.
>> On Thu, Mar 16, 2017 at 10:58 AM Tracy Carcione via NAGDU 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I wonder, as airlines have started charging for sitting in the 
>>> bulkhead, if it will be harder to switch to sit there.  I don't care 
>>> myself, but some do.
>>>
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> From: NJAGDU [mailto:njagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ginger 
>>> Kutsch via NJAGDU
>>> Sent: Monday, March 13, 2017 9:41 PM
>>> To: New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Cc: Ginger Kutsch
>>> Subject: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off American 
>>> Airline flight
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Blind woman and guide dog kicked off American Airline flight
>>>
>>> Samantha York, WLBZ 7:24 PM. EDT March 13, 2017
>>>
>>> Video at
>>>
>>> http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/blind-woman-and-service-dog-kicked-o
>>> ff-ameri
>>> can-airlines-flight/422219883
>>> <http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/blind-woman-and-service-dog-kicked-
>>> off-american-airlines-flight/422219883>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> FRANKLIN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- After requesting a different seat 
>>> -- Sue Martin, who is blind, and her service dog were kicked off of 
>>> an American Airlines
>>>
>>> flight -- she said the pilot claimed she was a "danger to the flight".
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sue Martin of Franklin has had her seeing eye dog, Quan, for the 
>>> past year.
>>> She depends on him to navigate through her daily life. Martin had 
>>> never run
>>>
>>> into an incident like this before her most recent trip to San Diego.
>>> There
>>> were several connecting flights -- all of which went smoothly until 
>>> her connector
>>>
>>> flight from Washington DC to Dallas. She requested a different seat 
>>> on the aircraft after she saw it would not accommodate her service 
>>> dog. "There was not enough room for a 75 pound dog and three adult 
>>> humans" Martin said.The two were asked to step off of the plane 
>>> after several requests were made to change seats. "The man said, you 
>>> have to leave the plane -- I asked him why and he said the crew had 
>>> decided I was a danger to the flight" Martin said.
>>> "I've
>>>
>>> never had anything happen like this before". Martin claims there was 
>>> no altercation between she and the flight attendants and that she 
>>> couldn't understand why it escalated the way it did.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> She was traveling with her husband as well -- they had to re-book 
>>> their flight with a completely different airline at a different 
>>> airport. "I stood up, reached for Quan's harness and almost began to 
>>> cry -- this is just so far out of the realm of anything I have ever 
>>> experienced in all my years of travel" Martin said. "I felt 
>>> helpless, I felt afraid, I was terrified.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Martin filed three separate complaints with the Airline -- it says 
>>> it will be investigating the matter. NEWS CENTER reached out to the 
>>> airline as well, a spokesperson said "We take all disability 
>>> complaints very seriously, and are thoroughly investigating these 
>>> allegations".
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Martin stated she's worried about traveling with the airline in the
>>> future,
>>> especially if she is alone.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Some reassurance that American will better train its personnel is the
>>> only
>>> way I will feel comfortable getting on another American Airlines
flight"
>>> Martin said. "I mean if they can kick a blind person off a plane whose
>>> dog
>>> is perfectly behaved, what can they do next? I don't know".
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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