[Travelandtourism] McCarran International Airport Discriminates Against Blind Passengers

Thu Mar 31 17:27:24 UTC 2011

This is very interesting, and since I am also part of ASTA.org

Which is the American Society for Travel Agents, which also helps with laws for us as agents as well as laws for our clients.

I will forward this to our President of ASTA here on Long Island, and see if we can possibly work together on fighting this.

No promises, but I will definitely put this out there.

The biggest compliment you can pay me is to recommend my services! 

Cheryl Echevarria
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Freeh,Jessica (by way of David Andrews <dandrews at visi.com>)<mailto:dandrews at visi.com%3E)> 
  To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org<mailto:david.andrews at nfbnet.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2011 11:03 AM
  Subject: [Travelandtourism] McCarran International Airport Discriminates Against Blind Passengers

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  CONTACT:

  Chris Danielsen

  Director of Public Relations

  National Federation of the Blind

  (410) 659-9314, extension 2330

  (410) 262-1281 (Cell)

  <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org>cdanielsen at nfb.org<mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org%3Ecdanielsen 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 
  individualsAlan and Billie Ruth Schlank, Joyce 
  Pratt, and Mark Adreonwho 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.

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