[nfb-talk] Blind Man Asked To Give Up Cane On AA Flight

[Judy Jones]

Have never had that happen before, and hope it won't in future.

Judy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wm. Ritchhart" <william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'Jeanette Fortin'" <jeanette at fortin-home.com>; "'NFB Talk Mailing 
List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 8:19 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blind Man Asked To Give Up Cane On AA Flight


> It is not just American Airlines.  I have encountered issues from time to
> time on many different airlines.  It is not anything more in most cases 
> than
> ignorance on the part of flight crew and/or gate attendants.
>
> The last flight I was on was from Charlotte NC to Indianapolis IN.  It was
> evening and the flight attendant instructed me and my girl friend to 
> remain
> in our seats if there were an emergency.  She said, "someone will try to
> come back for you after the plane is empty if we can."  I replied, "I am
> probably the only person on this plane who is used to working without eye
> sight.  So I am probably the only person who would be able to function in 
> an
> emergency.  So I think I'll try to help you if there is an emergency." 
> She
> did not like it.
>
> I also had a gate attendant start to give me the "I have to take that 
> cane"
> line on the out-bound part of that trip.  I always encourage them to go
> ahead and call security.  I generally also encourage them to review the
> regulations before they do it, though.  After I point out to them that 
> they
> will find that my cane is allowed by the regulations they shut up and 
> leave
> me alone.
>
> Thanks, William
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Jeanette Fortin
> Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 10:00 AM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blind Man Asked To Give Up Cane On AA Flight
>
> this is aweful, but i fly American Airlines all the time and have never 
> had
> any trouble with them at all as a matter of fact i  have found them to be
> the most comfortable to fly on. jeanette
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John Heim" <john at johnheim.net>
> To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 7:55 AM
> Subject: [nfb-talk] Blind Man Asked To Give Up Cane On AA Flight
>
>
> http://kdka.com/local/blind.man.flight.2.1971310.html
> A blind man was told if he tried to use his cane he'd be removed from a
> flight and arrested and now he's asking for an apology.
>
> Bill Diamond is legally blind and sees nothing from his left eye and 
> shadows
> from his right eye. He lost his sight 15 years ago due to diabetes.
>
> He's a Navy veteran and spent 13 years in the service. It was on a recent
> trip to a special veterans school in Chicago to learn how to use a talking
> computer where he ran into real trouble on an American Airlines flight.
>
> "American Airlines just wants customers who can see - it's not going to be 
> a
> burden to them," he said. "Anybody with a disability is going to be a 
> burden
> to American Airlines."
>
> Diamond caught his flight to Chicago out of Pittsburgh. He was brought to
> the plane in a wheelchair. He got on board using his cane and was told he
> had to give it up even though it was folded up.
>
> "I says, 'I need my cane.'
>
> "She goes, 'Sir, if you refuse to give up your cane, I will have no
> alternative but to call security,'" Diamond recalled.
>
> Faced with possible arrest, Diamond gave up the cane, sat on a nearly
> two-hour flight unable to get up and move around even though he needed to
> use the bathroom.
>
> "The stewardess acted like, 'Oh no, not another disabled person on my
> flight,'" he said.
>
> On his way back from Chicago, Diamond flew United. They had no problem 
> with
> his cane. He used it to get to the men's room. He says it gave him his
> dignity back and his freedom.
>
> "That's my independence, that's my mode of travel, that's how I learned to
> travel being visually impaired," Diamond said. "They're taking something
> from me that I've learned to use."
>
> KDKA's Marty Griffin spoke with American Airlines Monday. They said they
> were investigating the matter and offered no further comment.
>
> Griffin could find no evidence indicating the use of a folding cane on a
> flight is determined to be against the policy of any airline.
>
> (C MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
>
>
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