[Ohio-talk] I don't have it in for any airline

Tue Nov 19 19:03:19 UTC 2013

Those high school Spanish lessions sure come in handy.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Smith, JW
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2013 10:42 AM
To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] I don't have it in for any airline

Preach it Kaiti!

I hope that I don't offend anyone but I am finding it harder and harder to
fine a taxicab driver or airport escort that speaks English or even American
whatever that is!

It is one of the benefits and challenges of diversity but it is all good
most of the time.

I find that you do have to be a bit more aggressive and inquisitive in both
situations to maximize your success!

Jw

Dr. JW Smith
Associate Professor
Interim Director of Honors Tutorial Studies School of Communication Studies
Lasher Hall, Rm. 112 Athens, OH 45701 smithj at ohio.edu
T: 740-593-4838
F: 740-593-4810

*Ask me about the newly revised Ohio Fellows Program or visit
http://www.ohio.edu/univcollege/ohiofellows.cfm 

"Regarding the past, change what you can, and can what you can't."
"Our minds are like parachutes. They work best when they are open."

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-talk [mailto:ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti
Shelton
Sent: Saturday, November 16, 2013 11:37 PM
To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List
Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] I don't have it in for any airline

Hi,

I have not traveled by air much, but I had an interesting experience when I
traveled this summer.  My trip down to the NFB convention went fine, but
then again I had my mother with me till I boarded at Cincinnati because she
wanted to see me off.  I got through the Orlando airport and onto the
shuttle to go to the hotel without incident, and the airline volunteer who
escorted me was fantastic.  On the morning I was supposed to go home I
arrived at the airport and got through luggage check and got my boarding
pass myself, but asked to have an escort help me get to my gate from there
because I did not remember the way and didn't want to miss my flight.  This
worker was not as good as the one I got a few days before.  First, I
explained that it was best for my notetaker to be examined by hand rather
than sent through a scanner, and instead of taking me to the examiner so I
could hand it off like the attendant in the Cincinnati airport did he took
it from the bin in which I had unloaded all my things that were in my
backpack for examination.  Then when I asked where it was he didn't give me
a straight answer.  I did get it back, but it was scary because he started
walking with me somewhere else with all of my other things until I refused
to go any further without the notetaker.  He went back and got it, but just
left me in the middle of the airport when I had said I would go back and get
it if he would give me some direction.  Once I got it back I was a little
happier, and he was pretty good for the most part in taking me where I
wanted to go.  (to the restroom, to buy a bottle of water so I could take a
decongestant before boarding, etc).  The only troubling thing after that,
and the most troubling part of my whole travel experience, was that once he
got to the gate that was on my boarding pass he left me.  I noticed that a
lot of people were exiting the gate, and asked a nearby family if something
had changed.  Sure enough, they said that the screen showing the flight
information had announced a change of gate shortly before the airline
attendant dropped me off at the gate, and the mother and the teenaged
daughter in the family were particularly troubled that he did not check the
information and just hurried away because they were sure that he should have
given me that information.
They were able to give me directions to get to the correct gate so I didn't
miss my flight home, and thankfully everything else was fine.

I'm sure the airport was really packed with tons of blind people going home
that particular day, and I even ran into quite a few even though I got to
the airport at 5:30 in the morning.  I think there is much more education
than just the cane and dog stuff that needs to happen, and it really needs
to be at a deeper level because it is not just a regional thing, but even
within airports there are different levels of service and awareness from
employee to employee.

I will say though that I think the work done at CVG has paid off.  I was
pleasantly surprised when I got up to the scanners and an attendant asked if
I would like to use a graphite cane the airport kept around while mine went
through the metal detector.  They were also a lot more transparent with what
they were doing to my notetaker, and took care of things in a quicker manner
than the Orlando airport did on my return trip which I appreciated.  I think
a slight language barrier might have been some of the problem with the
second guy in Orlando, and though I traveled at around the same time for
both flights I think traveling on a Monday morning was much easier than
traveling on a Saturday because the second trip was definitely busier;
however, I still don't understand why he would start taking me somewhere
without one of my belongings and not stop until I absolutely refused to go
further without it.

Perhaps some energy can be put specifically on the Orlando airport, since
that is going to be an important one for the next several years.

On 11/16/13, Cheryl Fields <cherylelaine1957 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Great news, looking forward to it!
> C
>
> On 11/16/13, COLLEEN ROTH <n8tnv at att.net> wrote:
>> Hi Cheryl and Marianne,
>> I think NAGDU will probably ask xs' Divisions in each State to 
>> coordinate some educational activities.
>> I do think that all of us in the NFB whether whether we have a dog or 
>> not should know policies in effect in case we are in a situation 
>> where this knowledge might be helpful.
>> I for one want Gudide Dod users to be able to use their dogs for 
>> independent travel. At the same time I want my right to avoid sitting 
>> by one to be respected.
>> Many of you at the Convention know of my major fear and respect my 
>> feelings.
>> For that I am truly grateful. This has taken a long time.
>> I am no longer put down or harassed. By the same token, I no longer 
>> hate dogs with the exception of Pitt Bulls.
>> I just want my space and dogs to be on leashes.
>> I will stand up for your rights have a dog. I always did this but was 
>> happy when I really didn't need to do anything.
>> In recent years, I have spoken up for blind people in Toledo who had 
>> issues.
>> I referred them to other Guide dog users but still stayed involved.
>> I by recently at a meeting where someones's guide dog had to be 
>> chased and brought back to her owner.
>> This shouldn't happen. Guide dog handlers should be in control of 
>> their dogs.
>> Have a gr day and fight for airline equity for all.
>> Colleen Roth
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Cheryl Fields <cherylelaine1957 at gmail.com>
>> To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
>> Date: Thursday, November 14, 2013 12:00 pm
>> Subject: Re: [Ohio-talk] I don't have it in for any airline
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Mary Ann,
>>>
>>> Some years ago I had a dog and I never had a problem traveling, by 
>>> air or bus. The majority of my problems were with people and their 
>>> cars, smiles, my dog was big and they always wanted him to get in 
>>> the back seat.
>>> Do you think we should have some guide dog users and wheel chair 
>>> users schedule some conversations with local administration of 
>>> airlines to offer some education for their employees? This could be 
>>> helpful and get directly to the problems.So many airline employees 
>>> move from city to city, once educated they can spread the word and 
>>> learn about the nfb.
>>>
>>> Blessings,
>>> cheryl
>>>
>>> On 11/14/13, Marianne Denning <marianne at denningweb.com> wrote:
>>> > Please don't think I hate any airline.  It looks like there is a 
>>> > pattern developing at U.S. Airways and that is of concern.
>>> >
>>> > -
>>> > Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>>> > Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>>> > (513) 607-6053
>>> >
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > Ohio-talk mailing list
>>> > Ohio-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>> > for
>>> > Ohio-talk:
>>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/cherylelain
>>> > e1957%40gmail.com
>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>> -
>>> Peace
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> et
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Peace
>
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