[Travelandtourism] What's important to you as a blind air traveler?

[tattenberg at gmail.com]

What an excellent  question.
I would like airport and airline staff to be less condescending and overbearingly custodial. They should provide directions when asked instead of insisting on following the blind customer around or calling for a wheelchair. They should thus know how to provide verbal directions.  It should be assumed that blind people do not need a wheelchair unless it is specifically requested. It should also be assumed that blind people can board the plane without assistance and without boarding before everyone else. Special assistance should be requested and not expected.   Staff at the security check points especially need to remember such protocol. Blind people are allowed to bring their cane through the metal detector. Blind people should not be grabbed, pulled, or pushed without permission. If rules are being broken then blind people should be vocally warned before physical contact. It should be assumed that blind people can move through the airport unescorted; and they can use stairs, escalators, and moving walkways just like everyone else. They do not necessarily need elevators.
I realize that many blind people, including several on this list do have additional needs, and thus require extra assistance. But a good universal policy is to allow people to ask for help rather than allowing assumptions of relative helplessness to prevail. I also know that sometimes it is very helpful if not necessary for blind people to get personal escorts from place to place in an airport; but again, blind people need to be allowed to practice free will. And I would like to see airport staff and other people home their verbal skills.
Best,
Trevor
   .


Sent from my iPhone

> On May 4, 2015, at 9:59 PM, Ivonne Mosquera via Travelandtourism <travelandtourism at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> It would be helpful to have an independent way of calling or texting for assistance, once a flight has landed, to facilitate with connections or exiting the airport. This is typically left up to the flight attendants or the gate agents, and they often forget or take a long time to do it.
> 
> Thanks,
> Ivonne
> www.iminmotion.net
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
>> On Tue, May 5, 2015 12:49 AM EDT Phil via Travelandtourism wrote:
>> 
>> Hi everyone,
>> 
>> My name is Phil. Hope everyone is doing well. This is my first time
>> posting to the Travel and Tourism list but certainly not my first time
>> posting to nfbnet lists. smile
>> I’d like to hear your opinion on this…
>> I’m doing a research project on blind and visually impaired people’s
>> air travel experience. In particular I’d am trying to compile a list
>> of things that you consider would make an booking website, airline or
>> airport “blind-friendly”. Besides obvious things like not barring a
>> blind passenger from boarding, accessible kiosks and accessible apps,
>> what other things are important for you as a blind or visually
>> impaired traveler? It can be both things that are already being done
>> or you wish someday they would do, and it can be both
>> technology-related or staff or corporate policy or even marketing.
>> I’m trying to look at this from all 360 degrees and compile a long
>> list, so please feel free to list as many things as you can think of
>> and as brief or detailed as you wish!
>> Let’s share and see what each other think!
>> Thanks everyone!
>> 
>> Best,
>> Phil
>> 
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> 
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