[nfb-talk] Blind Man Asked To Give Up Cane On AA Flight

[ckrugman at sbcglobal.net]

in an emergency a blind person with a cane is much less of a threat or 
safety hazard than one without.
Chuck
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Buddy Brannan" <buddy at brannan.name>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 7:17 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Blind Man Asked To Give Up Cane On AA Flight


Why am I not surprised that it was American?

It's the '80's all over again.

Apparently, someone isn't familiar with the Air Carrier Access Act. There's 
no reason he should have given up his cane, none at all. This makes me 
angry. If we hear the "safety concern" thing one more time. ...
--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY



On Oct 20, 2010, at 9:55 AM, John Heim wrote:

> http://kdka.com/local/blind.man.flight.2.1971310.html
> A blind man was told if he tried to use his cane he'd be removed from a 
> flight and arrested and now he's asking for an apology.
>
> Bill Diamond is legally blind and sees nothing from his left eye and 
> shadows from his right eye. He lost his sight 15 years ago due to 
> diabetes.
>
> He's a Navy veteran and spent 13 years in the service. It was on a recent 
> trip to a special veterans school in Chicago to learn how to use a talking 
> computer where he ran into real trouble on an American Airlines flight.
>
> "American Airlines just wants customers who can see - it's not going to be 
> a burden to them," he said. "Anybody with a disability is going to be a 
> burden to American Airlines."
>
> Diamond caught his flight to Chicago out of Pittsburgh. He was brought to 
> the plane in a wheelchair. He got on board using his cane and was told he 
> had to give it up even though it was folded up.
>
> "I says, 'I need my cane.'
>
> "She goes, 'Sir, if you refuse to give up your cane, I will have no 
> alternative but to call security,'" Diamond recalled.
>
> Faced with possible arrest, Diamond gave up the cane, sat on a nearly 
> two-hour flight unable to get up and move around even though he needed to 
> use the bathroom.
>
> "The stewardess acted like, 'Oh no, not another disabled person on my 
> flight,'" he said.
>
> On his way back from Chicago, Diamond flew United. They had no problem 
> with his cane. He used it to get to the men's room. He says it gave him 
> his dignity back and his freedom.
>
> "That's my independence, that's my mode of travel, that's how I learned to 
> travel being visually impaired," Diamond said. "They're taking something 
> from me that I've learned to use."
>
> KDKA's Marty Griffin spoke with American Airlines Monday. They said they 
> were investigating the matter and offered no further comment.
>
> Griffin could find no evidence indicating the use of a folding cane on a 
> flight is determined to be against the policy of any airline.
>
> (© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
>
>
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