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

Thu Mar 16 21:27:13 UTC 2017

Hi,

The airlines are a reflection of society first and foremost. We demanding
our rights and insisting upon reasonable accommodations are still a nuisance
in the eyes of many. The airlines, no matter what they say, are uneducated
about blindness and disabilities in general. As I have said many times,
airline personnel make up rules as they go along. Their training is poor and
their resultant actions in cases such as the one we are discussing are
deplorable and go unpunished. While I have not spoken with Sue Martin I know
of others who have. American blew it.

Other airlines have made similar mistakes regarding blind and other persons
with disabilities. Also, many times the airlines have gotten it right. I
generally have had much better treatment on American than on any other
airline. I fly many times a year for business and every time I go to the
airport there is still a concern in my mind over whether or not I will be
treated properly by airline and airport personnel.

Again, if you want to get angry then do something about it. Some thoughts:

	1. Go up on social media and spread the word that the airlines still
do not know nor treat us as well as they should.
	2. Spread Sue's story in the same way.
	3. Discuss this topic at chapter and state meetings and conventions.
	4. Make sure you know the laws, your rights and your
responsibilities under the law.
	5. Attend the regular monthly NAGDU board meetings to keep up with
what is going on.
	6. Don't sit on the sidelines. 

Best Regards,

Michael Hingson

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Marianne Denning
via NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 1:38 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Marianne Denning <marianne at denningweb.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off
American Airline flight

Many years ago I was flying on one of the 50 passenger planes. The airline
attendant told me my dog had to be completely under the seat in front of me.
Luckily, I had a small dog and was able to get her under the seat. I did
argue with the attendant a little but decided to contact the airline after
my trip. I did and was given a free round trip ticket. In looking back, that
resolved my problem but did not resolve the issue of airline employees
telling us whatever they believe is correct or the most convenient at the
moment. I think a resolution is a great idea.

On Thu, Mar 16, 2017 at 2:06 PM, Michael Hingson via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org
> wrote:

> 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-kicke
> >>> d- 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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> >>>
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> >
> >
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--
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053
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