US Airways Tells Man He Is 'Too Disabled' To Fly Alone

[SKY HIGH]

Can you read? He was willing to demonstrate his ability to move. They didn't care.

Pilots have a lot of power, but it's not unlimited. The Captain can't exclude a passenger on the basis of a disability, using "safety" as a convenient excuse.

By the way, it wasn't the pilot who refused transportation to the man, it was the gate agent, making your argument is extra useless.

sky high states: I didnt say it was the PILOT, I said, they have a say in THE RULES that the DOT and FAA want GATE AGENTS and CREWMEMBERS to follow.

and, yes. A pilot CAN use safety as a factor in denying someone passage. Making YOUR comment, once AGAIN, incorrect. Any PILOTS want to confirm your authority?

only stating opinions

 

[BoeingBoy]

Any PILOTS want to confirm your authority?

There's no doubt that the PIC can deny passage to anyone for any reason. It better be a valid reason, though, or it opens the airline up to possible penalties. Which brings me to my question - has there been a recent change in US policy in these situations?

I ask for 3 reasons:

- I'd hate to guess how many passengers I've had over the years that couldn't even move themselves from their wheelchair to the straightback or vice versa, much less from the straightback to their seat. Some haven't even been able to hold their head up.

- DOT regulations say that if an attendent is required by the airline they are to be provided with free transportation - not just one way.

- DOT regulations also say that a disabled individual refused transportation by the airline must be treated as IDB. Since when is a refund considered complying with IDB requirements?

Jim

 

[SKY HIGH]

As for flying in the past, that does set a pretty strong precedence.

sky high states: Not necessarily, he may have traveled when his disease was "early-onset"....types of this disease can "progress".....read the following:

There are several situations that are associated with dystonia, including medication-induced and dystonia resulting from a specific form of lung cancer. Symptoms may even be "task specific," such as writer's cramp.

A form of dystonia known as early-onset torsion dystonia (also called idiopathic or generalized torsion dystonia) begins in childhood around the age of 12. Symptoms typically start in one part of the body, usually in an arm or leg, and eventually spread to the rest of the body within about 5 years. Early-onset torsion dystonia is not fatal, but it can be severely debilitating. Most children with the disorder are unable to perform the simplest of motor tasks and are confined to a wheelchair by the time they reach adulthood.
Spasmodic torticollis, or torticollis, is the most common of the focal dystonias. In torticollis, the muscles in the neck that control the position of the head are affected, causing the head to twist and turn to one side. In addition, the head may be pulled forward or backward.

Torticollis can occur at any age, although most individuals first experience symptoms in middle age. It often begins slowly and usually reaches a plateau. About 10 to 20 percent of those with torticollis experience a spontaneous remission, but unfortunately the remission may not be lasting.



only stating opinions.

 

[usramperTPA]

Hello all,

I would just like to add some "fuel" to this debate. In my many years as a ramp person, I have carried, lugged, and rolled many types of wheelchairs and scooters that our pax use up and down jetway stairs and elevators. We then load them into the cargo bin, well out of the pax's access. I've always wondered what these folks would do in the event, God forbid, of an extreme emergency. In an extreme life or death emergency, such as a fire, these folks would be totally reliant on someone taking the time to risk themselves to assist them. In that type of chaotic situation, would we want to leave it up to chance or fate to make sure these folks would be assisted? Just remember, even if these folks have some limited movement ability, wouldn't they be at a terrible disadvantage without their wheelchair accessable? One would have to hope that some selfless soul onboard would be able to pick them up and physically move them to an exit through all of the chaos. Isn't this why the Feds and the airlines have the regulations and procedures in place? Have we not enforced them enough in the past, that, when we do finally enforce the regulation, it becomes a problem?

 

[BuffaloJoe]

It isnt normally something that the agents decide on their own (except for intoxicated people) to deny boarding for any medical reason.
How many decisions of this type have you been involved in? Do you know what the company procedure is?
And a pilot can determine to refuse transport if there is an issue with safety.

I see intoxicated people board all the time. Rarely do I see any denied boarding. They let children travel alone, and they most likely won't be supervised when the plane goes down. There can be an attendant or some other passenger would be willing to assist in an emergency.

OK< let me put this in, a healthy 25-30 year old man boards his plane. While the plane crash lands he gets unconscious, who gets hims out? As long as Airlines are willing to take donations from the Government via our taxes, they should never ever deny any person boarding as to their disablity. I know its a tough call, and most disabled persons try to help as much as they can. They are the ones that have to deal with their problems 24/7. They have a life to enjoy as well.

It seems to me that he was traveling to Wisconsin so his mother could recouperate without having to take care of the person. This issue should have been brought to attention at the Ticket Counter, prior to everything. As a passenger I am willing to help another person in need when traveling and I am sure others would help too.

Also what happens to Mr. and Mrs. Smith? They are a Married couple that were married for 60+ years that are traveling. They both are frail but can walk with their cane/walker. How are they going to evacuate when their walker/canes are stowed away? If the plane goes down, most likely they will be unable to get to their items. Isn't that one of the things that they harp on, leave your personal belongings behind, so how the heck they gonna get out?

Its a tough call but they shouldn't have to be denied boarding. Its a disability, and why should we discrimminate, we should accommadate.

 

[JS]

Since when does buying an airline ticket GUARANTEE your safe arrival at your destination? (unless you get killed instantly in a fireball; not much anyone can do about that)

It's a friggin passenger airplane, not SEAL training.

You people who are standing behind the employees denying boarding to a disabled passenger, while trying to justify their actions by telling his mother she has six minutes to decide whether to accompany him, *one way*, should be ashamed of yourselves. :down:

 

[hp_fa]

If you're blind you can fly, if you're deaf you can fly, if you can't speak or speak the language you can fly, if you're diabetic you can fly, if you're mentally retarted you can fly. I could go on and on. How many of you have seen people with handicaps fly? Isn't there a rule about being able to fly if you can manage your own personal needs? Hey I'll throw this one out to you---how many of you have boarded people with known dementia?? I know the spelling is probably wrong, but how about the other "old" disease? How many of you have helped find confused and lost older people in the airports??
I really think this guy has a case.

FA's are required to brief "special" passengers on what they need to do in the event of an emergency. Each briefing is personal and unique to the passenger's disability. Many traveler’s have someone who travels with them to assist them with their needs, including potential emergency evacuations.

A blind person is told where the nearest exists are and how many rows away they are. Similar to learning where to get off an elevator based on the number of beeps it makes as it travels between floors. They are also advised to wait just a few seconds to let the majority of folks get off so they don't get trampled on the way out.

Deaf people can see where the exits are, they just need to be informed that an emergency is in progress or anticipated.

Paralyzed people or people with amputated legs who have the arm strength to pull themselves out are also advised to wait a few seconds and then try and make their way to an exit. The problem comes when they lack the arm strength or ability to attempt to get out of the plane.

In all of the scenarios, flight attendants tell the "special" passengers that the flight attendants will attempt to get to them after the plane is evacuated and the flight attendants can get to wherever the passengers may still be in the cabin. However, the flight attendants may be incapacited, the cabin may be broken or the flight attendant's feel in imminent danger and also evacuate, so the passengers need to at least have the capacity, either alone or with an assistant, to attempt to evacuate without help from the crew.

I don't know what happened at the gate, nor do I know the person's actual capacity to assist with his own evacuation. However, unless proved otherwise, I support the GA's decision to deny boarding if it was believed that person could not assist himself and/or presented a potential problem to other passengers.

 

[john john]

Bottom line is IF THE PASSENGER CAN COMMUNICATE THEY FLY. You can take that to the bank.

 

[NCFL]

Bottom line is IF THE PASSENGER CAN COMMUNICATE THEY FLY. You can take that to the bank.

Not true. A personal care attendant can be required as a condition of customer acceptance if, in our opinion:

1. Mobility impairments are so severe the person cannot assist in his/her own evacauation of the aircraft.

2. Hearing/vision impairments are so severe that carrier personnel cannot establish means of communicating a safety briefing.

3. Mental impairment is so severe that the customer cannot understand the safety briefing.

All of that is per 14 CFR Part 382.35(B). It's a judgement call on the part of the local manager or supervisor, but even if the right decisions are made, the media are going to have a field day. It's a lose-lose in some cases, sadly.

 

[LCC_#1]

A personal care attendant can be required as a condition of customer acceptance if,IN OUR OPINION

Therein lies the problem. And THAT makes me nervous!!

 

[ClueByFour]

If this guy hauls himself in/out/around that chair in court, US is going to be paying out the rear regardless of what the FAR says. Bank it.

 

[midnightmech]

this is the same airline that allowed a PIG, a very real live PIG to board and ride in the passenger compartment of a real aircraft a couple years ago right?

 

[john john]

Not true. A personal care attendant can be required as a condition of customer acceptance if, in our opinion:

1. Mobility impairments are so severe the person cannot assist in his/her own evacauation of the aircraft.

2. Hearing/vision impairments are so severe that carrier personnel cannot establish means of communicating a safety briefing.

3. Mental impairment is so severe that the customer cannot understand the safety briefing.

All of that is per 14 CFR Part 382.35(B). It's a judgement call on the part of the local manager or supervisor, but even if the right decisions are made, the media are going to have a field day. It's a lose-lose in some cases, sadly.

CAN not WILL
I stand by my statement
Be there done that

 

[gizmo_sc]

Each station has a CRO, Compaint Resolution Officer and he and/or she is trained on US Department of Transportation, 14 CFR Part 382 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disabilit in Air Travel. The purpose of this part is to implement the AIR CARRIER ACCESS ACT of 1966 (49 U.S.C. 41705)

 

[N965VJ]

this is the same airline that allowed a PIG, a very real live PIG to board and ride in the passenger compartment of a real aircraft a couple years ago right?

No, that was CCY.

Completely different bunch of morons.