April 2018 – Flying While Disabled

Aircraft seat size in the spotlight as House passes FAA reauthorization

admin April 27, 2018 #FAA #SEAT Act

…Significantly, the House bill also calls for a feasibility study of in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems; and “the ways in which individuals with significant disabilities using wheelchairs, including power wheelchairs, can be accommodated with in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems”.

Disability rights advocates are eager to see industry explore ways in which disabled travelers can stay in their own wheelchairs, and have loudly championed the cause of late.

Additionally, the bill calls for a review of air carrier training policies related to properly assisting passengers with disabilities, an amendment proposed by Representative Jim Langevin.

People with #disabilities still face barriers to air travel, so I’m pleased that the #FAA reauthorization includes a Bill of Rights for Airline Passengers with Disabilities. Thank you @RepBillShuster & @RepPeterDeFazio for this bipartisan effort.

— Jim Langevin (@JimLangevin) April 26, 2018

Delta Apologizes after Woman with MS Is Tied to Wheelchair

admin April 25, 2018 #aisle chair #Delta Airlines

A woman with multiple sclerosis wants Delta Air Lines to improve its service for disabled passengers after she claims she was tied to a wheelchair following an international flight earlier this month.

New Delta and United airline requirements for service and emotional support animals

admin April 24, 2018 #Delta Airlines #emotional support animals #service dog #United Airlines

Both Delta and United Airlines have updated their policies for service and emotional support animals. The airlines now require passengers to submit health and vaccination papers for uncaged animals as well as documentation that the animal has been trained. Emotional support animals also require a letter from a doctor or licensed mental health professional. Behind the recent policy changes is the incredible increase in incidents involving people taking advantage of disability protections and boarding airplanes with animals with questionable credentials. United Airlines has seen a 75% increase in “customers bringing emotional support animals onboard” and Delta claims a 84% increase in “incidents” involving animals.

Disabled in Action Activist at The Largest Minority
National Public Radio

Paralympian stopped from using toilet on Emirates flight to Australia

admin April 6, 2018 #airplane bathroom accessibility #Emirates #Paralympian

A wheelchair bound paralympian on an Emirates flight to Australia for the Commonwealth Games has been forced to wait an hour for assistance to go to the toilet because her “climbing on the floor” would upset other passengers.

British athlete Nikki Emerson, 29, said after she successfully made her way to the toilet by crawling on the floor, she was stopped by an airline stewardess on her way out and told her behaviour was “unacceptable”.

“She said, ‘you can’t be on the floor, it’ll upset people, let me help you to walk’ and I said, ‘well I can’t walk at all’ and that obviously caused an issue,” Ms Emerson told BBC Radio 5.

Ministers outline plan for disabled people’s air travel

admin April 5, 2018

The headline of this article is a bit misleading; UK officials haven’t actually come up with a plan to make air travel easier for the disabled, they’re just planning to work on one. For 2019. Okay, that’s fine, we’ll just wait some more. We’re used to that…

Mr Gardner, who was kept waiting on a plane for almost two hours after landing at Heathrow in March, described the government’s ideas as a “welcome step” but added “we’re unlikely to see actual changes in near future”.

He said there is “still a long road to travel”.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43643593

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