Last post Wed, Apr 30 2008 4:10 PM by Walter Schmidt, VSO CPA CTM. 2 replies.
Hi Disaboomers: I'm Jeffrey, otherwise known as the "finetooner" on this forum. I am a facilitator/developer for Atlantic Southeast airlines and am also mobility impaired. What I do as a profession has a direct effect on all of you as travelers with disabilities. I help train/educate/enlighten our entire airport customer service group on better ways to assist travelers with special needs and I'm also a Complaint Resolution Official working with 14CFR, Pt 382. You have seen the airline industry change dramatically right before your eyes. The bulk of the point-to-point regional flying has been largely supplanted by the smaller regional jets which makes getting from here to there even more challenging.
With all that being said, here is my main question: have you ever been refused air transportation solely on the basis of your disability? Was it even considered? I would love to hear your stories so I can collect a body of experience to work with from all of you who have "been dere, done dat."
What a great resource this website has been, both in terms of my own peculiar disability and my passion for improving the flying experience for all of you with special needs. I hope I can be a source of encouragement for you in some small way!
Best Wishes and come fly with us,
Jeffrey Ward
ASA ACS Training, Standards, and Security
I MUST SAY I MISS " TWA AIRILINES " THEY WOULD GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO BE DIS FRIENDYLY . I HAVE POLIO WALKED AT THE TIME WITH THE ADE OF BRACES AND CRUTCHES .......MY VERY FIRST FLIGHT WAS WITH TWA , I WAS NOT SURE HOW I WOULD DEAL WITH A LARGE CROWD, WHEN I TOLD THE AGENT I WAS DISABLED , THE VERY FIRST THING THEY DID WAS TO HAVE A WHEELCHAIR WAITING FOR ME , THEN I WAS BOARED ON THE AIRCRAFT FIRST , I WAS PLACED IN THE BULK SEAT THAT GAVE ME EXTRA LEG ROOM , DURING THE FLIGHT I WAS TOLD IF I NEEDED THE RESTROOM PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK FOR HELP. WHEN AND IF THERE WERE ANY EXTRA SEETING IN FRIST CLASS I WAS MOVED THERE WITH MY PARTY , YES THAT WAS VERY NICE ~ FLYING FIRST CLASS ON A COACH FARE ~ WHEN WE ARRIVED AGAIN WITH GREAT RESPECT I WAS PUT INTO A WHEELCHAIR FOR SAFTEY REASONS AND TAKEN OFF THE PLANE FIRST ...............TODAY THINGS ARE DIFFERENT I DONT FLY AS OFTEN WITH ALL THE SECURITY IT IS A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE !!!!! CAN'T REMOVE MY SHOES ! SO I DONT TRAVEL AS MUCH . I LIKE TO SEE THE AIRLINES BE MORE DISFRIENDLY AND TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN OUR NEEDS . I KNOW MY SAFTY IS ALWAYS A CONCERN OF MINE , I CANT SIT CRAMPED OF HOURS AND ON OUR INCOME WE SURE CANT AFFORD FIRST CLASS ! IF I CAN ASSIT YOU IN ANY MANNER DO PLEASE LET ME KNOW........ LORRAINE {RAINEY826}
Jeffrey -
Welcome! And in case you have the ear of those who set the rules...
I’m a tetraplegic whose special wheelchair allows me to spend bulk-time other than in bed (I spend 11 hours weekdays working as a veterans services officer with 15 hours total in my ‘chair), and while this might not be exactly what you had in mind, from my point of view until I can once again travel in my ‘chair, I have “been refused air transportation solely on the basis of [my] disability.”
Traveling in the passenger seat of a plane is a tough call, due to my body-needs. Traveling with my ‘chair stowed out of sight is out of the question.
As I said, perhaps not exactly what you had in mind, yet still a problem for myself and many others.
--- Regards, Walt Schmidt
