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

Joe jsoro620 at gmail.com
Fri Mar 17 01:40:04 UTC 2017


Buddy,

Yes, I have dealt with all manner of flight personnel. Please do not make
assumptions of my experiences.

I will candidly admit my level of tolerance has vastly differed depending on
the level of stupidity, but what I can also admit is that regardless of
their ignorance, a tempered approach has always fared better for me and the
situation. I have been in situations where sighted traveling companions have
reacted more vehemently to discrimination than myself, and while their
gestures are well-intentioned, they too often make the situation worse and
completely blow what could have been a good teaching moment for the
employees and for the people witnessing the incident. After all, laws change
policies, but they do not change minds. When we deal with Company X, we are
still dealing with people. How we choose to educate them will have a lasting
effect in how they view and treat blind people in the future. This is why I
would hope that when dealing with flight crews, Uber drivers or whomever, we
work hard at remaining polished and civil. Otherwise the only thing that
person will remember is a negative encounter and develop an animosity that
will tinge their encounters moving forward. Working the front lines in
customer service is no easy feat and can cause patience to wear thin in the
most inopportune moments.

Am I suggesting the lady was behaving in a belligerent manner? No. But,
that's just it. No one here knows firsthand what happened in that airplane.
When one feels "helpless, afraid and terrified" as the passenger described,
people behave differently than they might otherwise react, and we live in a
world where certain places cannot process such behavior without consequence.
It seems rather unusual to me that a flight crew would make the conclusion
that their presence in the aircraft would cause a danger to the flight and
jump to a last resort of removing someone from a flight, knowing full well
that their actions would be documented and later require justification. But,
maybe this crew was exceedingly misinformed. Maybe the passenger truly did
attempt all recourse, and the crew, especially the pilot, all  need to be
fired for being so blatantly unreasonable and off script from company
policies.

The parallel to a rape victim is haphazard and preposterous. There were far
more eloquent ways to make your point.

Michael,

My request for an agreement was to acknowledge we had only one side of the
story, not to justify the airline's actions. As you say, it was wrong if
they indeed had no justification for dismissing the passenger other than the
dog taking up too much room. We do not know if this was the case. The whole
bit about the first class exclusion is still a little confusing for me. I
agree with your position on bulkhead. I'm kind of curious why the passenger
would take a bulkhead seat assignment if the passenger knew her dog would
generally not fit in such a space? I don't know, but as you also point out,
we should be free to choose where we sit.

I agree with others that something ought to be done. No one should be
dismissed from a flight without repercussion. I take a dim view of NFB
resolutions, finding them mostly ineffective, but I will gladly help author
one if people feel that is our best course. I would rather see NAGDU play a
role in integrating itself into the training curriculum of airlines, bus
lines, and other forms of public transit where discrimination has been
displayed.

I'm sorry if it seems as though I am not supportive of a fellow member. I
believe in treating every case equally and fairly. Blind people have the
potential to be in the wrong as well. All I am stating is that we do not
have sufficient facts, and American Airlines can hardly be vilified for what
could amount to the lack of education on the part of one flight crew.
Regardless, I do hope that the passenger is treated fairly according to what
happened and properly compensated if warranted.

Respectfully,

Joe

--
Musings of a Work in Progress:
www.JoeOrozco.com/

Twitter: @ScribblingJoe

-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan via
NAGDU
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 12:37 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Cc: Buddy Brannan
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off
American Airline flight

Dude. Are you freakin kidding me? Apparently you've never run into overly
officious flight crews. I have, certainly not to this extent, but I have.
And 20-30 years ago, this behavior was definitely not unheard of, and in
similar fashion. Besides, Sue is definitely among the most competent and
well put together handlers out there. 

Next you'll be telling me that that girl wouldn't've got raped had she not
been dressed so provocatively. And yes, it's exactly the same kind of victim
blaming, thanks for asking.

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194 
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: buddy at brannan.name




> On Mar 16, 2017, at 11:48 AM, Joe Orozco via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
> 
> 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-off-ameri
>>>> can-airlines-flight/422219883
>>>>
<http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/blind-woman-and-service-dog-kicked-off-amer
ican-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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