[NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off American Airline flight

Buddy Brannan buddy at brannan.name
Thu Mar 16 19:41:39 UTC 2017 

Thing is, about the aisle seat flight, yes, I normally request a window seat, but the ticketing agent at the counter specifically booked me a waisle seat. I wouldn't have had any problem changing to a window seat with the guy in my row, but no one bothered to suggest that. 

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: 814-860-3194 
Mobile: 814-431-0962
Email: buddy at brannan.name




> On Mar 16, 2017, at 3:34 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> No no, Joe! We don't know the whole story for sure, but it is safe to
> imagine that we know enough of it. If you say you want to change, or you
> don't, and they want you to, or they don't, and you debate it, they will
> accuse you of being a hazard to the others on the flight. I was accused of
> yelling on a Southwest flight and alarming other passengers. I was not
> yelling. And you can say what you like, but to even have it threatened to
> throw you off the flight is alarming. If you actually get tossed off that
> flight, well, that just adds to it. I think that we need not assume the
> other side. Also, Joe, I would say that while it is important for us to be
> "nice", mostly, when you have taken so much off of people, sometimes you get
> a little testy. Seems OK if the sighted public screams at the flight
> employees and pushes; if I ask for a different seat or say I'm not going to
> sit in the bulkhead, then I should be allowed that, too. They do say in a
> lot of the rules that the dog should not be in the aisle seat for fear of
> getting its paws out in the way of carts. I always go for the windows. 
> Another thing is they will tel you it's for your own good, or that's their
> policy. I think we know what is for our own good, and as for policy: You ask
> them to read it they won't. The Southwest people told me it was on their
> website. It was, and that said I could sit where I like pretty much except
> they encouraged me not to sit in the aisle seat.
> 
> 
> Cindy Lou Ray
> cindyray at gmail.com
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Joe Orozco via
> NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 10:49 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Joe Orozco <jsoro620 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] FW: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off
> American Airline flight
> 
> Can we agree we only have one side of the story here, and a limited one at
> that? No, an airline should not kick someone off a flight, but to claim
> danger to the flight, to me, suggests there could be more to the story. I
> have seen fellow guide dog users become rather adamant in their defense of
> their rights, and in a sensitive mode of transportation such as airplanes,
> passengers with a variety of needs should be mindful of the hyper
> sensitivity the crew is exercising in prioritizing security. I am glad
> complaints are being filed. If wrong is proven, the airline should do a lot
> more than issue an apology, but let's remember we only have limited facts
> surrounding the incident.
> 
> Best,
> 
> Joe
> 
> 
> On 3/16/17, Buddy Brannan via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Apology hell! She wants assurances and proof that they've had training 
>> on, you know, things like what the ACAA says (how many ways can we 
>> violate that in one flight?). But really, Sue Martin should freakin' 
>> *own* her an airline. Just sayin. While this sort of behavior was more 
>> common 30 years or so ago, ask Mike Hingson, just...wow.
>> 
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: 814-860-3194
>> Mobile: 814-431-0962
>> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Mar 16, 2017, at 11:06 AM, Chantel Cuddemi via NAGDU 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I saw that article on another list!
>>> How horrible! I am very disappointed .
>>> They owe her an apology for this.
>>> Chantel.
>>> On Thu, Mar 16, 2017 at 10:58 AM Tracy Carcione via NAGDU 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> I wonder, as airlines have started charging for sitting in the 
>>>> bulkhead, if it will be harder to switch to sit there.  I don't care 
>>>> myself, but some do.
>>>> 
>>>> Tracy
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> From: NJAGDU [mailto:njagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ginger 
>>>> Kutsch via NJAGDU
>>>> Sent: Monday, March 13, 2017 9:41 PM
>>>> To: New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>> Cc: Ginger Kutsch
>>>> Subject: [Njagdu] Blind woman and guide dog kicked off American 
>>>> Airline flight
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Blind woman and guide dog kicked off American Airline flight
>>>> 
>>>> Samantha York, WLBZ 7:24 PM. EDT March 13, 2017
>>>> 
>>>> Video at
>>>> 
>>>> http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/blind-woman-and-service-dog-kicked-o
>>>> ff-ameri
>>>> can-airlines-flight/422219883
>>>> <http://www.wlbz2.com/news/local/blind-woman-and-service-dog-kicked-
>>>> off-american-airlines-flight/422219883>
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> FRANKLIN, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- After requesting a different seat 
>>>> -- Sue Martin, who is blind, and her service dog were kicked off of 
>>>> an American Airlines
>>>> 
>>>> flight -- she said the pilot claimed she was a "danger to the flight".
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Sue Martin of Franklin has had her seeing eye dog, Quan, for the 
>>>> past year.
>>>> She depends on him to navigate through her daily life. Martin had 
>>>> never run
>>>> 
>>>> into an incident like this before her most recent trip to San Diego.
>>>> There
>>>> were several connecting flights -- all of which went smoothly until 
>>>> her connector
>>>> 
>>>> flight from Washington DC to Dallas. She requested a different seat 
>>>> on the aircraft after she saw it would not accommodate her service 
>>>> dog. "There was not enough room for a 75 pound dog and three adult 
>>>> humans" Martin said.The two were asked to step off of the plane 
>>>> after several requests were made to change seats. "The man said, you 
>>>> have to leave the plane -- I asked him why and he said the crew had 
>>>> decided I was a danger to the flight" Martin said.
>>>> "I've
>>>> 
>>>> never had anything happen like this before". Martin claims there was 
>>>> no altercation between she and the flight attendants and that she 
>>>> couldn't understand why it escalated the way it did.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> She was traveling with her husband as well -- they had to re-book 
>>>> their flight with a completely different airline at a different 
>>>> airport. "I stood up, reached for Quan's harness and almost began to 
>>>> cry -- this is just so far out of the realm of anything I have ever 
>>>> experienced in all my years of travel" Martin said. "I felt 
>>>> helpless, I felt afraid, I was terrified.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Martin filed three separate complaints with the Airline -- it says 
>>>> it will be investigating the matter. NEWS CENTER reached out to the 
>>>> airline as well, a spokesperson said "We take all disability 
>>>> complaints very seriously, and are thoroughly investigating these 
>>>> allegations".
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Martin stated she's worried about traveling with the airline in the
>>>> future,
>>>> especially if she is alone.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> "Some reassurance that American will better train its personnel is the
>>>> only
>>>> way I will feel comfortable getting on another American Airlines flight"
>>>> Martin said. "I mean if they can kick a blind person off a plane whose
>>>> dog
>>>> is perfectly behaved, what can they do next? I don't know".
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>> 
>> 
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> 
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