[Njabs-talk] McCarran International Airport Discriminates Against Blind Passengers

[EVELYN E. VALDEZ]

FOR IMMEDIATE  RELEASE

 
CONTACT:Chris Danielsen														    


Director of Public Relations					    

				  
National Federation of the Blind			  

					 
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330								  


(410) 262-1281 (Cell)												   


cdanielsen at nfb.org													 


 
McCarran International 

Airport Discriminates Against Blind 

Passengers
National Federation of the Blind 

Files Suit Over Inaccessible Kiosks
 
Las Vegas, 

Nevada (March 30, 2011): The National 

Federation of the Blind and four blind individuals—Alan and Billie Ruth Schlank, 

Joyce Pratt, and Mark Adreon—who frequently fly or plan to fly to and from Las 

Vegas through McCarran International Airport, have filed a class-action lawsuit in the United 

States District Court for 

the District of Nevada against Clark County, Nevada; the Clark County Board of 

Commissioners; and the Clark County Department of Aviation, which administers 

McCarran International Airport.  McCarran uses common-use self-service 

(CUSS) ticketing kiosks that employ a visual touchscreen interface without any 

auxiliary aids, such as a voice guidance program, and therefore cannot be used 

by blind passengers.  Passengers who 

are able to use the kiosks can access information about flights, check in for 

flights, print tickets and boarding passes, select seats, upgrade to business or 

first-class cabins, check baggage, and perform other transactions relevant to 

their air travel plans.  

CUSS 

kiosks are unique because they are owned or controlled by the airport instead of 

by individual airlines and allow passengers to access most of the airlines 

operating at McCarran from any machine.  

The suit 

alleges that the defendants are violating the Americans with Disabilities Act 

and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 because the benefits provided to travelers 

through these kiosks are not available to blind visitors to the airport.  McCarran could easily add an audio 

interface, a tactile keypad, or interactive screen reader technology that works 

with touchscreens to its kiosks, or purchase kiosks with these features, but has 

neglected to do so.  McCarran has 

also refused to respond to the plaintiffs’ offer to work collaboratively on 

implementing available technological solutions.

 
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the 

National Federation of the Blind, said: “Blind passengers have always 

experienced discrimination in air travel, but the fact that airports like 

McCarran are now deploying inaccessible technology to perform routine travel 

functions is the greatest threat to the privacy and independence of blind air 

travelers that we have seen.  Airports and airlines are engaging in 

this blatant discrimination even though the technology to make kiosks accessible 

is readily available, has been deployed by others, and involves little 

cost.  Instead of enjoying the 

features and convenience of these kiosks, including a quicker and more 

convenient check-in process, blind passengers must either wait in long lines at 

the ticket counter or share personal information with strangers in order to use 

the kiosks.  We will not tolerate a 

separate and unequal experience for blind travelers and demand that the 

defendants cease their discrimination against us as soon as 

practicable.”
 
Plaintiffs are represented in this matter by Daniel 

F. Goldstein, Gregory P. Care, and Timothy P. Elder of the Baltimore firm Brown, Goldstein, and Levy; Laurence W. 

Paradis, Karla Gilbride, and Kevin Knestrick of the Berkeley firm Disability Rights Advocates; and Eric Taylor 

of the Las Vegas 

firm Alverson, Taylor, Mortenson & Sanders.
 
 
###
 
 
About the National Federation of the 

Blind

With more than 

50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most 

influential membership organization of blind people in the United 

States.  The NFB improves blind people’s 

lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs 

encouraging independence and self-confidence.  It is the leading force in 

the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind.  In January 

2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the 

first research and training center in the United States 

for the blind led by the blind.