From ABC News (10.19.10):
Man in Wheelchair Called 'Too Disabled' to Fly
Motivational Speaker Johnnie Tuitel Was Kicked Off a US Airways Flight
By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ
A wheelchair-bound businessman was kicked off a flight last month because the airline's crew deemed him too disabled to fly...
..."I know my needs," Tuitel, 47, told ABC News. "Nobody asked me what my abilities were, nobody asked me what my needs where, they basically made the decision on my behalf without consulting me."...
...Tuitel, who has cerebral palsy, has used a wheelchair his entire life. He was helped onto the Sept. 23 flight by the airline's staff. A few minutes later, an airline manager approached him and said they needed to chat. The manager explained that Tuitel was "too disabled to fly without someone else with him" and that the airline was going to escort him off the plane, according to Tuitel...
From AAPR (10.18.10):
Association for Airline Passenger Rights Calls on USDOT to Levy Maximum Fine Against US Airways for Treatment of Disabled Passenger; Airline's
Actions Violated the Air Carrier Access Act
The Association for Airline Passenger Rights (AAPR) today called on the U.S. Department of Transportation ("USDOT") to levy the maximum allowable fine against US Airways for its recent treatment of Johnnie Tuitel when an US Airways employee removed him from the plane, telling him that he was "too disabled to fly alone."...
The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (ACAA) prohibits domestic air carriers from discriminating against persons with disabilities in the provision of air transport. The law states that persons with disabilities will have access to all services, goods and information that they provide to any other passenger as part of their normal operating practices and forbids air carriers from treating passengers with disabilities any differently than other passengers except in making the necessary accommodations...
This just weeks after a blind man was barred from flying because of his disability. When will the airline industry learn?
From the Associate Press (10.5.10):
Blind man barred from Dubai flight over disability
A blind American traveler says a Dubai airline refused to allow him to fly because of his disability.
Zuhair Mahmoud says he was told by FlyDubai airline staff members that the carrier's policies did not allow blind travelers to fly unless accompanied by someone else...
Air travel for TABS can be a very stressful and challenging event. I would think that for an individual with disabilities, travel becomes even more of a challenge, especially when an airline fails to provide reasonable accommodations that are required by law. In this case, however, it seems that no accommodations were provided or even attempted. Apparently, Mr. Tuitel is capable of traveling alone, as indicated by the number of miles he has logged over the years. What happened to him should not happen to anyone. The judgment made by the airline is in violation of the ADA and Mr. Tuitel’s civil rights and this is inexcusable. The assumptions made by the flight crew about Mr. Tuitel are crass and disturbing. As I see it, this is an attack on all of us. Decisions made by individuals who lack the necessary knowledge, training, information, etc. will certainly have an impact on accessibility for many of us who could also be considered as too this or too that. Policies need to change.
Posted by: J. Ito-Carver | October 24, 2010 at 05:23 PM
I just emailed US Air, telling them that until there was a full public apology AND it adopted legal, fair, appropriate and transparent binding policies for potential passengers with disabilities, I will not fly on any US Air flight, period. And I told US Air that I am NOT disabled; just appalled.
Posted by: Dee Alpert | October 25, 2010 at 05:02 PM
I just sent this to US Airways. I had a very similar experience last May but luckily was allowed to continue my journey.
"I just read this news report: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/us-airways-man-wheelchair-disabled-fly/story?id=11910525 Something very similar happened to me when I flew back from Barcelona to LAX via Philly. I use a manual wheelchair and was traveling by myself. I got on the business class section and an airline attendant kept asking me about what I could or could not do, if I could take care of myself in an emergency, and if I could feed myself, etc during the trip, and did I understand that the airline was not obligated to help me in an emergency if I could not get out of the plane myself? She communicated with the captain and was clearly uneasy to have me in the plane. She kept telling me that I should be traveling with someone else to help me. I was so incensed. How did she think I got to Spain? or flew within Spain? I was alone all those times too. She made me feel so uncomfortable and embarassed and all I could think is what is going to happen if they kick me off this plane? How am I going to get home? Finally we took off but only after I had to verbally state that I understood that the flight attendants did not have to help me in an emergency and that I was OK with that. I had never been treated in such a way on another airline, either domestic or international. If your goal is to get rid of disabled passengers by poor customer service, then you have succeeded. I don't think I will voluntarily use US Airways again, especially now that I hear another passenger has had the same treatment only worse."
Posted by: Elizabeth | October 25, 2010 at 08:41 PM
These current news about people with disabilities' troubles while flying really baffles me. It was not fair for these staffs or for anyone to tell anybody with any kind of disabilities that they are too disabled to ride a plane. I really think this is a very cruel attitude since the passengers has already paid for their fare prior to boarding the plane. In addition, I think that no one can tell nobody that they are really too disabled to do anything except themselves. The staff should either be dismissed or ask to be with people with disabilities and carefully observe them so he or she can be aware of wjat are the things they can do or not do at all. Though I travel often, I will NOT risk any time with US Airways. I know there are other airlines out there. Come on, where did this guy come from? Maybe he should not be allowed to be a staff of the airline.
Posted by: Rhodora Rojas | October 31, 2010 at 04:22 AM