[Nfbmo] Airlines

Linda A.Coccovizzo Linda.Coccovizzo at MCCKC.EDU
Wed Jun 8 13:20:52 UTC 2016 

I only remember having a wheelchair pushed on me one time, and I have to take the blame for some of that. When I was 18, I was leaving St. Louis for Little Rock, and my cab had been super late, and there was little hope that I was going to make my flight. The sky cap said "I know you're fully capable of walking, but do you want to make your flight?" I said yes, and I sat in a wheelchair and the guy piled all my stuff on top of me, and took off at a sprint. I made my flight within seconds, but when I got to Little Rock, I had the hardest time fighting off the chair. I won't do that again.

I have been places by myself, and with my girls in toe, and never even been asked about a chair. We have ridden a cart or two, but there were several people on the cart, so they weren't there just for me by a long shot. I have also carried several bags, a 2-year-old,, and had a 5-year-old latched onto me walking through the airports with an assistant. I think they might have asked if they were moving too fast, and I think my response was something like, Nope. "The faster we can get where we are going, the better off I'll be."

I'm not sure how the assistants are hired any more. Back in the day, I think sky caps were hired by the airlines, or maybe the airports. Now, I think it's possible some of that is airports contracting with companies who hire the assistants. Maybe we could do some research and find out how all of that works, and possibly hold some workshops with some of the companies who hire the assistants. I hear of incidents involving blind people and wheelchairs occasionally, and I'm not sure where the demand to send the chair comes from.

-----Original Message-----
From: Nfbmo [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity via Nfbmo
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 10:43 AM
To: NFB of Missouri Mailing List
Cc: Julie McGinnity
Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] Airlines

What I dislike about these carts is that they expect us to take them.
I prefer to walk, and my dog needs it after a long plane ride or
before a long train ride.

I recently had a lay-over in Charlotte North Carolina.  It was an
exercise in structured discovery that ended up taking me outside the
secure area.  :)  But I noticed a lot of those carts and was glad I
wasn't expected to ride in them.  Like Shelia said, I want to have my
choice about where to go and how I get there.

On 6/7/16, Daniel Garcia via Nfbmo <nfbmo at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Back in December of 2013, I was flying from Little Rock to Detroit. I had a
> layover in Charlotte and the connecting flight was on the other side of the
> airport and there was not too much time to spare. So I did agree to ride on
> one of them electric golf cart type vehicles. It seems that this was a
> popular way to transport people in this particular airport since I kept
> hearing carts buzzing back and forth.
>
> Those of you who have taken the train from Kansas City will surely remember
> that since the station is so large, they will take you on an electric golf
> cart across the yard to the train. When I got on this cart last October to
> go to Jefferson City, I told the escort that I hoped she wasn't expecting me
> to drive this thing. The passenger in the back seat was cracking up. She
> told me she wanted me to drive.
>
> Regards
>
> Daniel
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nfbmo [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dan Flasar via
> Nfbmo
> Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2016 1:17 AM
> To: nfbmo at nfbnet.org
> Cc: DanFlasar at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] Airlines
>
> Heck, if they're going to insist on you taking wheeled transportation, have
>
>  them get an electric cart instead of a wheelchair.   Instead of being
> seen as disabled, your status to onlookers has upgraded to VIP!
>    Outa my way, peasants!
>
>     Kidding aside, I did request assistance once.   Airport signage can be
> hard to make out, which can really slow things down  - especially if you
> have 10 minutes before your connecting flight and that gate  is on the other
> side of the airport.
>      It's the only way to fly!
> Dan
>
>
> In a message dated 6/6/2016 11:24:09 P.M. Central Daylight Time,
> nfbmo at nfbnet.org writes:
>
> hello  everyone on this matter concerning wheelchairs  on the 31 of may on
>
> transfering at midway to kansas city I too was requested to use a wheel
> chair oh well it was about 20 gates from terminal from a to b section,
> while
> the airport person requested I use the chair on the way he bumped a  lady
> caring  luggage she gave him a mean look and wasn't  happy  what happened ,
>
> that was my experience I do my best to request no  wheelchair needede, they
>
> pretty much try to put it on me anyway. Dale  Hamm.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Shelia Wright via  Nfbmo
> Sent: Monday, June 06, 2016 11:08 PM
> To: 'NFB of Missouri Mailing  List'
> Cc: Shelia Wright
> Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] Airlines
>
> I do not  believe it is isolated at all. It almost seems like standard
> practice. I've  known of situations where the individual seems to accept
> what
> the blind  person tells them. If this is the case, there is no real
> problem.
> They  follow company procedures, but seem to respect what each  individual
> prefers. On the other hand, I have seen and heard about the  airline escort
> to refuse to listen to the customer, insist that it is  required and will
> be
> faster for him. It is the attitude, that I have a  problem overlooking.
>
> The key is in how the person responds. There are  blind people that have
> other disabilities. They are not always visible. The  airline escort may
> also
> be on a tight schedule before they meet up with  their next assignment. If
> they don't bring the chair and it is needed, then  the traveler that needs
> the chair would have to wait until they go fetch  one. I suppose that most
> people who need a chair can request one when they  check in on their
> originating flight. However sometimes notes get missed. I  don't usually
> ask
> for assistance at the airport because the airline seems  to make that
> request
> whether you ask or not. If I don't need assistance, I  can decline it.
> After
> a flight I'm quite ready to walk to stretch my legs.  However, there may be
>
> a
> time I need it for reasons other than blindness. At  that point I will ask
> for assistance. If they have to push a wheelchair,  just know it makes a
> pretty good luggage cart for your carry on.
>
> I  think being the one to decide when I do or do not need assistance is
> what
> is important.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nfbmo  [mailto:nfbmo-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Roger Crome
> via
> Nfbmo
> Sent: Monday, June 06, 2016 8:31 PM
> To: NFB of Missouri  Mailing List <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Roger Crome  <r_crome1 at msn.com>
> Subject: Re: [Nfbmo] Airlines
>
> I wonder how  isolated situations like this are.  If this was the lack of
> education  of one truly ignorant person, then a simple localized level of
> advocacy  would be effective, but if more people are experiencing this
> level
> of  insult, then maybe it is time to blitz the industry with advocacy.   I
> wonder if the Missouri Affiliate could  approach the National  Convention
> for
> a Resolution calling for training of employees of the  airlines at all
> levels.
> Just a thought.
> Roger
>
> Sent from my  iPhone
>
>> On Jun 6, 2016, at 4:39 PM, Daniel Garcia via Nfbmo  <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>>
>> When I arrive at Detroit  last Thursday the person escorting me to the
> luggage claim area had a  wheelchair waiting for me. I told him I could
> walk
> just fine and he  insisted I make use of the wheelchair. I politely
> repeated
> to him that I  would not be using it. He did not insist and I told him
> where
> my parents  would be waiting for me.
>>
>> Let me digress  a little and  address those of you who are wondering why
>> I
> even have an escort guiding me  through the airport to begin with. If that
> was your first thought when you  first read this message then I urge you to
> read "The Nature of  Independence" which was a speech given by Dr. Jernigan
> at the 1993 National  Convention.
>>
>> Now let's go back to the main focus of my  message.
>>
>> Back in the 1980's I was not blind and had no problem  with how the
> airlines treated me. Many Federationists though will remember  firsthand
> the
> efforts of the NFB to ensure that blind people would be  treated better by
> airlines. By my reading of history, it seems that things  have improved
> thanks to the efforts of the NFB. However, no matter how many  laws and
> policies are enacted to protect us, people are people and thus we  have
> situations where some airport workers still cling to outmoded ideas of
> what
> the blind are capable of.  The person escorting me no doubt  believed that
> blind people are clumsy and unsafe and that it would be more  convenient
> for
> him to just have me sit down and shut up and allow myself to  be taken in a
> wheelchair.
>>
>> Best Regards
>>
>>  Daniel Garcia
>>
>>
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-- 
Julie A. McGinnity
President, National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division,
Second Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
"For we walk by faith, not by sight"
2 Cor. 7

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