[NAGDU] Advocacy Around Flying

[Sherry Gomes]

I'd like to know this too. I am not flying anymore, mostly because of this. I do have friends in other areas, and other trips I'd like to take someday, but I don't want to fly and be forced to let the airlines discriminate against me. It seems more and more that people are having different experiences, and that the airlines are making up new rules as they go along. Someone said the airlines demanded a guide dog school ID card, but that isn't in the DOT forms. Someone else had terrible experiences trying to fly to check out universities. A friend of mine who flies multiple times a year to visit me and to visit family in another state has different experiences every time he flies. One time, they'll ask for the forms, another time they won't, things like that. We are second class citizens, maybe third class since other disabled people not using service animals don't have to jump through these hoops. What is NGDU doing about it, or the NFB overall? I got an email a couple months ago asking for people who have decided not to get another dog because of this to let them know. How about people like me who refuse to fly anywhere now? I have other issues with flying due to my fused knee, but these new regs have just made it even more unpleasant and stressful.



-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Michael Forzano via NAGDU
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2023 2:23 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Michael Forzano <michaeldforzano at gmail.com>
Subject: [NAGDU] Advocacy Around Flying

Hi All,

I am curious if the NAGDU board has any updates on advocacy around the challenges that we are facing as guide dog handlers around the DOT forms, or on what we as members can do to help. As a frequent traveler I have thankfully been able to avoid issues as I know how the system works for the airlines that I fly. But I am seeing stories on social media of folks being discriminated against more and more often, and not just being held up at the airport either but actually being told by airline customer service that they cannot fly because their form was not approved. I truly believe this issue should be a top priority for our organization. Are there plans to discuss at our upcoming meetings at convention?

-Mike
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