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

Thu Mar 16 18:06:38 UTC 2017

Joe,

Actually we cannot agree. If the airline threw off the person and had no
justification other than the dog taking up too much room then that violates
the Air Carrier Access Act. The problem is that airlines have way too much
of a track record of making up the rules as they go along. We have the right
to choose our seats as do all passengers. We may not get our first choice if
that seat is taken, but we purchase tickets and thus the airlines are
obligated to take us without any reference to our guide dogs.

I prefer non-bulkhead seats as I believe, after 53 years of air travel with
guide dogs, that bulkhead seats are unsafe for guide dogs. All it takes is
one set of violent turbulents to bounce my dog in a bulkhead and injure her
to prove the validity of my position. I have seen 100 pound golden
retrievers fit in non-bulkhead seats.

My position aside, we all have our right to choose. The airline was wrong.
The airline should not only apologize, but it should seriously compensate
the blind passenger. Unfortunately, with the ACAA as it now stands we cannot
litigate. We have no right under the ACAA to file a case in the courts. If
you and others are really angry about this then let's all create a
resolution for the upcoming NFB convention calling on the congress to change
the ACAA and give us the right to file for damages and other legal remedies.

Best Regards,

Michael Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe Orozco via
NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 8:49 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Joe Orozco <jsoro620 at gmail.com>
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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