admin – Page 6 – Flying While Disabled

VIDEO: Virgin Atlantic and Flying Disabled on the Importance of Accessible Air Travel

In this edition of APEX Insider, Flying Disabled founder Chris Wood suggests that disabled passengers with disposable income – a market set to grow as a result of the world’s aging population – prefer to travel by land or sea rather than to fly because airlines require them to check their wheelchairs.

Geraldine Lundy, Virgin Atlantic’s passenger accessibility manager, says, “When I look at the number of people with a disability who are flying, either through an airport or with an airline, if you think there’s about 15–20% of the customer population with a disability, you only have about 2% of those who fly … That’s a huge amount of money that businesses are missing out on.”

The interviewees go on to discuss the reasons why this is the case, how legislation shouldn’t have to be the trigger for change and what suppliers like Bluebox Aviation Systems are doing to lead the way in improving the passenger experience for customers with disabilities. The APEX member won a Crystal Cabin Award last month for Bluebox aIFE, an accessible IFE platform for visually impaired passengers that launched on Virgin Atlantic flights in November 2017.

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.

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