[Travelandtourism] Fw: Flagdu Digest, Vol 53, Issue 5

Tue Nov 19 16:19:49 UTC 2013

I was only sharing the  e-mail. I wasn't aware I wasn't supposed to share - especially given FLAGDU and Travel & Toursism are both part of the NFB.  No one ever told me I had to get permission before sharing messages between the two talk lists before.  I didn't participate in the conversation. If I had, my position would have been to defend Mr. Rizzi.  I'm glad you know him and are there for him, and I am sure every one of us in the NFB family support him.  Again, I was only sharing.  I didn't know I had to get the approval of the rest of the fLAGDU board to forward the info.  Apologies to all. - Tracie

"Making Your Travel Dreams Come True No Matter What the Obstacles"

Tracie Inman, Independent Contractor
http://www.Inmantravel.com
904-372-0644
reservations at inmantravel.com

Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose Travel
CST - #1018299-10

On Tuesday, November 19, 2013 11:03 AM, cheryl echevarria <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:

Tracy, 
First of all you don't forward an e-mail from another talk list without their permission, and I know the man personally. If someone on FLAGDU has an issue Mr. Rizzi is on the NAGDU list, he is not a member of NAGDU, but he is on the list.
Also, yes Mr. Rizzi was booted from USAIR because of the Flight Attendant lying, it is also my understanding from speaking to my friend Mr. Rizzi, that all of this has happened. 
Here is a response from the Guide Dog Foundation, where Albert and I graduated from.
Here is proof positive, validation and confirmation that Doxy was not that Cujo dog that the airlines said ran amuck on the airline that frightful night.
Last week Albert Rizzi, a Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind graduate, and his guide dog Doxy were removed from a flight from Philadelphia to Long Island. We stand by the training that Mr. Rizzi and Doxy received from our organization; training that is provided to all when they are partnered with a guide dog from the Guide Dog Foundation. Unless it was an emergency or life-threatening situation, a guide or service dog would not leave its handler’s side. 
Mr. Rizzi and Doxy are a well-functioning guide dog team that travel frequently by air. We support Mr. Rizzi, graduates of our program, and the entire disabilities community by actively advocating to ensure that people with disabilities enjoy the same rights of access as people without disabilities. As the first assistance dog school in the United States to be accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International, it is a mission to which we have been devoted since 1946.
While we cannot comment on the details of what happened on that particular flight, we will continue to stand up for the rights of guide and service dog users to be accompanied by their assistance dogs in all places open to the public. To learn more about the Guide Dog Foundation
Also you might want to tell people on FLAGDU
That US Airways is being fined US Airways Fined $1.2 Million For Repeatedly Failing To Provide Proper Wheelchair Assistance.
Here is the link:
http://consumerist.com/2013/11/05/us-airways-fined-1-2-million-for-repeatedly-failing-to-provide-proper-wheelchair-assistance/
As well as the article from the New York CBS Local News here in NY.http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/11/14/blind-l-i-man-says-he-was-kicked-off-plane-over-guide-dog/
Also if you have questions and you can share this posting with the other lists I give you permission.
Mr. Albert Rizzi, has his own non-profit organization here in NY called www.myblindspot.org and a facebook page. Mr. Rizzi, doesn't want any help from the NFB at this time but, Travel & Tourism and NAGDU are working together on these and other issues with the airlines. That is why we have asked over and over again, and from Mark Riccobono to let us know if there are any issues with the airlines, buses, cruises, trains etc.
Just because someone doesn't have an issue with an airline doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
I fly southwest all the time, but many people flying from to and from the National Convention last year from Buffalo, NY had many issues, including our NYAGDU President and other officers of NYAGDU, which is the NY Division of NAGDU.
I have issues at Costco here on Long Island, just because I have issues with Costco doesn't mean I am lying or that others  will not have issues at there local costco.
We all need to stand together on these issues, whether or not they affect us.  There was just a release yesterday by National by Dr. Maurer about the Accessibility at the Airport and with the Airlines.
Cheryl Echevarria, PresidentNFB Travel & Tourism

Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in Independent Travel!
Cheryl Echevarria, Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel.com
Take the stress out of this year’s holiday shopping with NFB’s Bid for Equality national online auction: Black Friday, Nov. 29, to Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3. View our must-have donations and register to make your Bid for Equality. The future is in your bid! Echevarria Travel has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama

> Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 07:16:22 -0800
> From: tracieinman at yahoo.com
> To: travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Travelandtourism] Fw: Flagdu Digest, Vol 53, Issue 5
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> "Making Your Travel Dreams Come True No Matter What the Obstacles"
> 
> Tracie Inman, Independent Contractor
> http://www.Inmantravel.com
> 904-372-0644
> reservations at inmantravel.com
> 
> Affiliated as an independent contractor with Montrose Travel
> CST - #1018299-10
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Tuesday, November 19, 2013 7:00 AM, "flagdu-request at nfbnet.org" <flagdu-request at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>  
> Send Flagdu mailing list submissions to
>    flagdu at nfbnet.org
> 
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
>    http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/flagdu_nfbnet.org
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
>    flagdu-request at nfbnet.org
> 
> You can reach the person managing the list at
>    flagdu-owner at nfbnet.org
> 
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Flagdu digest..."
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> 
> Today's Topics:
> 
>    1. Blind man gets kicked off plane, latest update
>       (Patricia A. Lipovsky)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 14:42:57 -0500
> From: "Patricia A. Lipovsky" <plipovsky at cfl.rr.com>
> To: "NFBF List" <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>,    "Florida Association of Guide Dog
>     Users" <flagdu at nfbnet.org>,    "NAGDU List" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: [Flagdu] Blind man gets kicked off plane, latest update
> Message-ID: <F1FA16F3AF04446A9436DD4824977CF9 at dellpc>
> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> 
> Folks - I know there is a lot of heat around the issue of the passenger and 
> his service animal that was removed from one of our express flights 
> recently. One of the first things everyone should ask themselves is, "There 
> certainly must be more to this story than meets the eye . an airline
> wouldn't 
> just boot them off a flight for no good reason, right?" Absolutely.
> 
> US Airways transports more than 80 million customers each year and ensures 
> that all customers, including those with disabilities, are treated with 
> dignity and respect. We're particularly sensitive to those customers who 
> travel with service animals and we partner with Assistance Dogs 
> International (ADI), an organization that trains and places assistance dogs 
> around the world. US Airways employees volunteer to travel with and work 
> with assistance dogs in training to help them prepare for travel with 
> disabled partners. Over the past 10 years, US Airways employees have 
> participated in transports everywhere from California to Croatia. So we 
> understand the special needs and laws surrounding transporting our disabled 
> customers and their service animals. So we have been investigating what 
> happened here, and that investigation continues.
> 
> Here are a few things folks should consider:
> 
> . The safety of every passenger on our aircraft is our first and foremost 
> priority.
> . To ensure the safety of all passengers, the carriers and FAA have approved
> 
> cabin policies the ensure that, should an incident occur, everyone can be 
> safely evacuated without aisle-way obstruction.
> . In compliance with the Air Carriers Access Act, and the FAA, service 
> animals must be either under the seat in front of a passenger, on their lap 
> (if equal to or smaller than a lap child), or at their feet . but at no time
> 
> can they be in the main aisle of the aircraft as that is a primary 
> evacuation route. In this instance, the animal was not able to be secured 
> out of the main aisle, and attempts to work with the customer failed to 
> ensure compliance with this safety rule.
> . The customer is an advocate for disability rights, and appears to have 
> forced a confrontation with his disruptive behavior, rather than simply 
> complying with the instruction and securing the dog. Everyone was tired, it 
> was near midnight, and I'm sure patience was in short supply as the aircraft
> 
> had already been delayed on departure due to a mechanical issue and the 
> animal was restless. We all would be.
> . Once that was communicated by the cabin crew to the flight deck crew, the 
> decision was made to return to the gate to remove the customer and calm the 
> situation.
> . Several other passengers, upon seeing the customer's removal from the 
> flight, piled on to the emotional confrontation, making threats to contact 
> media and make an issue of out 'kicking a blind man and his dog off a US 
> Airways flight.' This reduced the FA to tears, and they were unable to 
> continue as they believed their safety was in jeopardy. The captain made the
> 
> decision to cancel the flight and alternate means of transport were secured 
> to get the passengers to their destination. Again, everyone was tired, it 
> was late, and I'm sure folks simply wanted to get home. As a result, our 
> customers did not get to their destination until after 2 in the morning.
> 
> So, having said all that, we apologize to the customers of the flight for 
> the inconvenience caused by this incident and will be reaching out to them. 
> I am sure everyone involved wish it had never happened and they had simply 
> gotten to their destination on time.
> 
> We are also supportive of crews as they do a very difficult job, and in very
> 
> sensitive emotional circumstances, to guard the safety of all our customers,
> 
> on every flight, every day. If a crew member ask you to do something, there 
> is a lawful and reasonable reason to comply with the request. That is simple
> 
> and easy to do. Feel free to ask questions and get clarification, but 
> forcing confrontations or making threats jeopardizes the safety of everyone 
> on board. You can bet that will create a delay and potentially removal from 
> the aircraft. No one wins there.
> 
> As I said, we continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the 
> incident, and we welcome any additional information that will enable us to 
> better accommodate our disabled passengers and their service animals. We 
> want to improve our service, and avoiding these kinds of confrontations 
> through education and sensitivity are always the better path.
> 
> Thanks for taking two minutes to read a bit more about what we believe 
> occurred on this flight. After all, there certainly is more to the story . 
> right? Absolutely.
> 
> -- John McDonald - Spokesman, US Airways
> 5 hours ago
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