Wheelchair-bound passenger 'humiliated' at Bangalore airport

Dec 10, 2016

A physically handicapped person has alleged that he was severely "humiliated" and "mocked" by a security officer at the Bangalore airport when he was to board a flight for the national capital. The incident comes even as the Disabilities Bill is being tabled in Parliament. The Bill proposes a jail term of up to two years and a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh for people who discriminate against the differently abled.

Twenty-nine -year-old Nipun Malhotra, a disabled rights activist, who suffers from a congenital disorder called arthrogryposis and is wheelchair-bound, was allegedly asked to bend and stand despite his physical condition.

Malhotra has complained to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and head of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), seeking an apology from the concerned officer and an assurance that disabled persons won't be subjected to such humiliation and discrimination.

The alleged incident took place around 2.45 pm on November 30 when Malhotra was flying to Delhi in an IndiGo flight. In the complaint dated December 7, Malhotra has termed the incident "horrible". CISF sources confirmed that they have received a complaint and that the matter is being looked into.

Malhotra's complaint states: "He asked me twice to stand despite my saying that it would be impossible for me. He then asked whether somebody can lift me out of my wheelchair so that I might be properly checked... I could have tripped and fallen on my face. He insisted on this despite seeing that I use a belt on my chair."

Malhotra told DNA that the "inhuman treatment" by the CISF officer went on for around seven minutes and he even refused to issue a boarding pass. The episode ended only after the intervention of a senior officer, Malhotra said.

Malhotra said he has travelled abroad but has never faced any difficulty. "What is terrible is the lack of action. The lack of insensitivity is shocking," he said.

In October too, a similar incident was reported from the Bangalore airport, where paralympian Aditya Mehta was allegedly forced to take off his prosthetic limb. Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates the airport, however, refused to comment on the frequent occurrences of such incidents. A BIAL official, on condition of anonymity, said: "We have not received any complaint about this incident. If we get one, we will order an inquiry. We understand that persons with disabilities need to be treated sensitively."

Source: DNA India 

Star para-athlete forced to take off prosthesis at airport, left bleeding

Oct 13, 2016 12:20 IST

One of India’s top para-athletes has alleged that he was forced to remove his prosthetic leg and humiliated by the security staff at Bengaluru airport.

Two-time para-cycling Asian medallist Aditya Mehta wrote on Facebook post that Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials at Bengaluru airport made him “undo and redo” his prosthesis during the security check for a 5.30am flight to Hyderabad.

“I have been suffering with an injury since the past 20 days with my stump and the security check officials only had to say “It is your problem!”. It took me 40 min for the entire process which left me bleeding at the end,” Mehta wrote.

The athlete said this wasn’t the first time he was forced to undergo the ordeal and had similar experiences at Delhi and Bengaluru earlier this year.

“I have mentioned how painful the procedure is to remove the prosthetics and wear it back. Worth mentioning is the psychological scar that it can leave on a physically challenged person’s mind.”  “Thankfully, I am not that weak mentally.”

He said that a foundation run by him had asked for full-body scanners at airports to deal with disabled persons but no action – not even sensitization of security staff – had been forthcoming.

“This isn’t just my personal battle but the emotions behind the cause is. I am not here to absorb the humiliation and break. I am here to stand for my people and make a change,” he wrote.

“This isn’t a plea because we have pleaded before with no luck. This is a challenge to your oppressive system.”

More than 21 million people in India are certified as disabled but often complain of neglect and discrimination, especially in accessing public spaces and services. A clutch of medals at the recently concluded Paralympics in Brazil brought back the focus on social bias against para-athletes and how many of them had surmounted obstacles to represent India at the world stage.

Source: Hindustan Times

BCAS says Passengers with Disabilities Pose "Higher" Security Risk

Dear Colleagues,

Below is the coverage on the RTI expose by our colleague Satendra Singh of what BCAS believes which runs contrary to the policy of the Aviation Ministry. Here is the story by Sh. Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar.

Passengers With Disabilities Pose ‘Higher’ Security Risk, Says Aviation Authority

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has also blocked full body scanners that would decrease harassment faced by persons with disabilities at airport security checks.

06/09/2016

By Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

New Delhi: Millions of passengers at airports across India go through pat-down security checks, often leading to delays and harassment, especially for persons with disabilities. An RTI application filed by a disability rights activist has now revealed why this is the case, even though technology exists that makes it unnecessary. Not only does the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) regard passengers with disabilities as a higher security risk but the agency has also been responsible for blocking the introduction of disabled-friendly safe full body scanners since it is still “exploring its feasibility at Indian airports keeping in view the privacy (issues) and health hazards from radiation”.

BCAS, which is the regulatory authority for civil aviation security in India and comes under the ministry of civil aviation, appears to have not taken into account the fact that many nations, including the US, have shifted to the use of new technology at airports for reducing scanning time and inconvenience to the passengers.

The agency’s role has come to light in response to an RTI application filed by Satendra Singh, an associate professor of physiology at the University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi. In its response to a set of questions posed by him, BCAS stated that the “security scenario in India is not the same as that of America”. When asked about the perceived radiation hazard and whether they had received “any recommendations from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) on the use of non-ionising millimetre wave technology at airports in India”, BCAS initially cited security concerns for not answering this question.

But when Singh filed a first and second appeal with the Central Information Commission (CIC), stating that the matter needs to be decided in light of the constitutional mandate of the RTI Act, the bureau conceded that the AERB’s recommendations were not available to them.

In his plea before the CIC, Singh, who suffers from loco-motor disability and has faced humiliation at Hyderabad airport before, noted that that harassment of persons with disabilities on the pretext of security under BCAS guidelines was a violation of their fundamental rights under articles 15 and 21 of the constitution. He argued before the CIC that millimetre wave technology was widely used in international airports.

Incidentally, in March 2016, it was reported that the US Trade and Development Agency would be giving a millimetre wave scanner to Indira Gandhi International Airport, which was to be then tested by BCAS for Indian conditions.

Such scanners, commonly referred to as body scanners, are supposed to cut down average frisking time by avoiding pat-down checks. They are also seen as an ideal replacement for present scanners, given increasing passenger traffic.

Even in the US, according to a US Environmental Protection Agency document, the airport security screening machines use non-ionising radiation which does not have enough energy to break bonds in living cells, therefore being safe. Millimetre wave machines use low-energy non-ionising radiation.

Millimetre wave machines use radio frequency waves to detect threats. The machine bounces waves off the body. Millimetre wave scanners emit thousands of times less energy than a cellphone. Threats are shown on a generic body outline rather than the person’s actual outline. When there are no weapons or other threats, the screen turns green and shows an “OK”, the document stated.

Along with backscatter x-ray systems, which use very low levels of x-rays (almost equivalent to cosmic radiation received during two minutes of flight) millimetre wave machines are now emerging as key scanning equipment across the globe.

Despite these positive attributes, why India has been slow to introduce this technology has been explained by the BCAS response.

Since Singh had faced harassment in February 2014, he filed complaints with the BCAS, the ministry of civil aviation and the chief commissioner of persons with disability. He then filed an RTI application on October 21, 2014 and followed it up with first and second appeals on November 12 and December 22, 2014.

“I have been fighting a long battle… that of dignified screening of passengers with disabilities at Indian airports,” he said.

On the reason behind his filing the application, he said, “Human dignity is a constitutional value and a constitutional goal. BCAS is humiliating people with disabilities though we are willing to help them by providing suggestions. That is why I am advocating the millimetre wave technology. In the recent landmark judgement in Jeeja Ghosh vs Spice Jet, the Supreme Court had categorically said, “Non disabled people do not understand disabled ones…. What non-disabled people do not understand is that people with disabilities also have some rights, hopes and aspirations as everyone else”.

Singh said that if it had not been for the insistence of information commissioner Bimal Julka, a former director in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the BCAS would not have parted with any information. “BCAS kept denying information on the pretext of national security,” Singh said.

However, Julka said the “appellant raised pertinent issues regarding safeguarding the rights of disabled persons who are harassed by screeners. The appellant also raised very important and critical issues related to the new and innovative technologies being adopted by various advanced countries for disabled”. Given the gravity of these issues, he directed BCAS to provide the relevant information.

Apart from information on the bureau’s approach towards the new technology, the appeal also revealed a “restricted” document in the form of circular No. 23/2005 of BCAS pertaining to “procedure for passenger and carry on baggage screening”.

Section 4.7 of this document dealt with “Procedure for persons with special needs” and “screening of the disabled/ handicapped, sick passengers, etc”.

Singh said he was surprised to learn how the security agencies view persons with disabilities.

Calling such passengers a high security risk, the document said “screeners should be thoroughly briefed that the possibility of carrying weapons/ explosives and other dangerous materials through such passengers is higher than a normal passenger and therefore, these passengers need to be checked with care”. (emphasis added)

It also noted that “the checking of such passengers should be thorough and the supervisor should also satisfy himself that the passenger can be cleared for boarding”.

The rules also state that “there is no scope for leniency in respect of invalid/disabled/sick persons during the pre-embarkation screening / procedures. On the contrary, there is ample reason to be more alert and wary”.

Averring that this “‘restricted’ document clearly highlights malice towards disabled passengers”, Singh said the use of new technology is needed to end such discrimination.

BCAS also communicated through its RTI reply that in January this year it had a meeting with the Central Industrial Security Force, which is in-charge of security at all airports, in order to sensitise the security forces about the issue of security. The response claimed that it had “advised (forced) to be more careful while screening passengers with special needs and medical condition.”

In another reply, BCAS stated that “a training module is incorporated in screener certification handout as ‘Security Procedure for Screening of Passengers with special needs and mental conditions'”. This module, the bureau claimed, had “detailed info and is being taught by all BCAS approved Aviation Security Training Institutes”.

It added that this “module is being taught to the security personnel involved in screening”. During the 12-day course, the bureau said it was planning to include modules of screening procedures for persons with disabilities and would be consulting organisations that represent them.

After much prodding, BCAS also gave out details of the various complaints received from persons with disabilities regarding harassment at airports and their status.

Source: The Wire

Interactive Kiosks with real time Sign Language Interpretation launched for Deaf & Hearing Impaired Customers in Brazil

Dear colleagues,

GOL, Delta’s partner in Brazil, has launched interactive kiosks for deaf customers at Rio de Janeiro's Santos Dumont and Rio Galeão airports.

This device connects customers to sign language interpreters via a real-time video conferencing system. These translators provide information about any aspect of the travel experience, including flight and gate information.

“We are very proud to offer this exclusive service to help our deaf and hard-of-hearing customers,” said Camila Bisinoto, GOL's Airport Manager. “It is very important to us that we provide the tools necessary to help all of our travelers enjoy their flights.”

The service has been available in Sao Paulo's Congonhas and Guarulhos airports since 2014, and the number of users has been growing steadily.

This device also provides more information about the assistance GOL provides to passengers with a physical, visual, hearing or mental disability.

Delta also remains committed to making travel more accessible, by providing closed-captioning on its in-flight entertainment systems, updating lavatories and enhancing the user experience at delta.com and kiosks.

Source: Delta 

Accessible Airport Award- Larnaca Airport, Cyprus adjudged Best European Airport providing services for persons with Disabilities

'Accessible Airport' honour for Larnaca Airport, Cyprus.

FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE • Sunday, 26 June, 2016

LARNACA AIRPORT has been highly commended as the Best European airport in providing services for people with disabilities, during the 12th General Assembly of the Airports Council International (ACI) – Europe, hosted in Athens on June 22.

The General Assembly was attended by various agencies and services from European airports.

As stated in the ACI’s press release Larnaca International Airport is “the highly commended airport for the Accessible Airport Award”.

Larnaca Airport is also honoured for “the positive travelling experience it gives to people with disabilities as well as for its great efforts to comply with accessibility standards”.

In a statement, Eleni Kaloyirou, Chief Executive Officer of Hermes Airports, said that “we are delighted with this honoring distinction obtained by Larnaca International Airport” and congratulated Sophie Christofides, Terminal Services Manager of Hermes Airports, also responsible for facilities and services for people with reduced mobility, as well and the company S & L Airport Services Ltd, who are responsible for the delivery of the services for people with disabilities at Larnaca Airport.

In addition, Kaloyirou highlighted the strong commitment of Hermes Airports to remain dedicated to the efforts for continuous improvement of this sector in providing high quality services to people with mobility problems or disabilities.

Source: Famagusta Gazette 

Comments invited on DGCA's CAR on carriage by Air of Persons with Disabilities. Closing date- 27 June 2016

Dear friends,

This is in continuation to my earlier post [hyperlinked title] SC slaps Rs.10 lakhs fine on Spice Jet for discriminating with a flier with disability dated 08 June 2016.

The Directorate of Civil Aviation has, after Jeeja Ghosh's Supreme Court ruling, has  issued yet another draft Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on Carriage by Air of Persons with Disabilities and Persons with reduced mobility. The Hon'ble Supreme Court had directed the DGCA to revise the CAR after consulting with civil society to ensure that air travel was non discriminatory and safe for every one. 

Brief Background

After the 2008 CAR, when cases of discrimination related to persons with disabilities did not stop, the  DGCA  set up a Committee under the chairmanship of Shri Asok Kumar, with several representatives from Private and Public Airliners, BCAS, DGCA and the disability sector. The report of Asok Kumar Committee (Oct 2012)  can be found (hyperlink opens).

In response to the Asok Kumar Committee's report,  the DGCA issued a draft CAR in 2013, which was published, after comments from the sector as the DGCA CAR 28 Feb 2014 (hyperlink opens). 

In Jeeja Ghosh's case, the deficiencies between the CAR and the Committee Report were highlighted before the Supreme Court with the efforts of HRLN and thus the Supreme Court directed in the judgement that the CAR be revised. 

The DGCA had made some changes in the CAR such as removing the category of 'incapacitated persons', adding 'Autism' as one of the impairments etc. but there are many issues that are still a major concern for the sector. 

The draft CAR for public comments with a closing date of 27th June 2016 is uploaded on the DGCA's Website (draft opens in hyperlink). You may like to send your comments directly to Shri. Lalit Gupta,  Deputy Director General,  Office of the Director General of Civil Aviation,   Opp. Safdarjung Airport, Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi – 110 003 

Swiss International Airlines website to comply WCAG 2.0 AA Level by end of 2016

Dear Colleagues,

The SWISS International Airlines has announced that while core functions of swiss.com have been accessible since December 2015 and at the moment, the functions such as booking flights and checking in online are accessible, and comply with level AA of the standards of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. The entire website will comply with this standard by the end of 2016.

The SWISS wants to comply with the requirements of the World Wide Web to ensure that the airline can serve anyone who uses the website regardless of what their impairments or disabilities might be. 

Source: Swiss [dot] com

SC slaps Rs.10 lakhs fine on Spice Jet for discriminating with a flier with disability [Judgement Included]

Dear Colleagues,

This is in continuation to my earlier two posts titled Jeeja Ghosh, a prominent Indian disability right activist discriminated by Spicejet Pilot dated 19 Feb 2012 and; Supreme Court of India issues notice to SpiceJet for deplaning disabled woman dated 05 April 2012.

In a remarkable judgement in a clear case of disability discrimination, a bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and R K Agrawal of Hon'ble Supreme Court has directed the budget airline Spicejet to pay a sum of Rs 10 Lakh (One Million Indian Rupees) as damages to a flyer living with cerebral palsy, who was forcibly offloaded in 2012, saying the manner in which she was de-boarded depicts "total lack of sensitivity".

The apex court noted that the flier with disability Ms. Jeeja Ghosh was not given "appropriate, fair and caring treatment" which she required with "due sensitivity" and the decision to de-board her was "uncalled for".

"On our finding that SpiceJet acted in a callous manner, and in the process violated Rules, 1937 and Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), 2008 guidelines resulting in mental and physical suffering experienced by Ghosh and also unreasonable discrimination against her, we award a sum of Rs 10,00,000 as damages to be payable to her," observed the Bench.

Ms. Ghosh was offloaded from a SpiceJet flight on February 19, 2012 from Kolkata when she was going to attend a conference in Goa hosted by NGO ADAPT (Able Disable All People Together), the second petitioner in the case.

The bench said the decision to offload Ghosh was taken by the airlines without any medical advise or consideration and her condition was not such which required any assistive devices or aids.

"Even if we assume that there was some blood or froth that was noticed to be oozing out from the sides of her mouth when she was seated in the aircraft (though vehemently denied by petitioner), nobody even cared to interact with her and asked her the reason for the same. No doctor was summoned to examine her condition. Abruptly and without any justification, a decision was taken to de-board her without ascertaining as to whether her condition was such which prevented her from flying. This clearly amounts to violation of Rule 133-A of Rules, 1937 and the CAR, 2008 guidelines," the bench said.

Click here for the Judgement WP(C) No. 98/2012 Titled Jeeja Ghosh and Anr Versus Union of India and Others 

Union Road Transport Ministry proposes toll waiver to vehicles driven by Persons with Disabilities

The Road Transport Ministry of Government of India proposes to extend exemption to adapted motor vehicles driven by persons with disabilities. Look likes a good move based on a long pending demand. However, there are many grey areas. The Motor Vehicle Act 1988 still poses a barrier with some of its provisions explicitly not friendly to drivers with disabilities. So much so that persons with hearing impairments had to fight a long battle of even applying and being tested for a Driving Licence. (Refer to my posts "Deaf can now legally drive in India" and "Disabled and Driving- Can both co-exist together or at the cost of each other")

Section 52 continues to be vague about whether a person with disability can adapt his vehicle to suit his needs. There are not many manufacturers who come up with adapted vehicles. There are no sufficient authorized workshops that can undertake the adaptation, and even after the adaptation the individual with a disability is unsure of whether the adaptation is safe, legal in terms of law! A lot needs to done by the concerned Ministries else this will just remain another cosmetic action!

Here is the news story from Hindustan Times titled "Highways to be toll-free for vehicles driven by physically challenged" appearing in HT Delhi Edition May 07,2016.

Physically challenged people driving vehicles specially designed for them may soon be able to drive on national highways without paying toll.

The central government has decided to give toll exemption to “motor vehicle specially designed and constructed, and not merely adapted, for the use of a person suffering from some physical defect or disability, and used solely by or for such a person” on all national highways. Section 2(18) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, defines such vehicles as “invalid carriage”.

The Union road transport and highways ministry, which is piloting the proposal, will notify the changes soon. The law ministry cleared the proposal last week.

“We thought that asking for a disability certificate would further hassle the person. Instead we decided to give exemption to persons with disability driving specially designed vehicles as defined under the MV Act,” said a senior road ministry official.

Certain automobile manufacturers, including Maruti, make cars with special features like hand-operated or automatic clutch and gear for the physically challenged.

Disability rights activists, however, are not impressed and term the move as “cosmetic”. “How many of the 26 million disabled people in India drive automated vehicles, maybe just 1%. It’s mere tokenism. Giving toll exemption has nothing to do with accessibility. Has the road ministry ever engaged with us to address transportation issues of persons with disability? How many public transport buses are accessible for the disabled, how many toilets on highways are disabled friendly?” said Javed Abidi, director, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People.

Internationally, many cities give toll exemption to persons with disability. In Florida, a handicapped person with a valid driver’s licence and operating a vehicle equipped for such persons gets a toll waiver. In UK, disabled persons are given a “blue badge” and get a toll exemption on showing the card.

Source: Hindustan Times

For failing to respond to disability complaints adequately DOT, USA fines Air France, Lufthansa & British Airways

Taking stringent enforcement action against some major airliners for consistently failing to provide dispositive responses to the complaints of passengers with disabilities, the Department of Transportation (DOT) on 14 April 2016 fined Air France, Lufthansa, and British Airways among others.

Air France and Lufthansa were each fined $200,000 and British Airways was fined $150,000.  The airlines were also ordered to cease and desist from future similar violations.

The US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, “When air travelers file complaints with airlines, they deserve prompt and complete responses that appropriately answer their specific concerns. We will continue to take enforcement action when airlines violate our rules protecting the rights of passengers”.

It may be pertinent to note that the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) prohibits airlines from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.  Under DOT rules, airlines are required to provide a written dispositive response to a written complaint alleging a violation of the ACAA within 30 days of receipt of the complaint. 

These consent orders are the results of several on-site regulatory compliance inspections conducted by the Department’s Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings.  During these inspections, the Department reviewed a number of disability-related complaint files and found that, in many occasions, Air France, Lufthansa, and British Airways failed to provide dispositive responses to passenger complaints.  

Access the Consent Orders on website www.regulations.gov, with Docket number DOT-OST-2016-0002. 

Source: Department of Transportation, USA

Woman with disability asked to remove prosthetic limb at Mumbai airport

Differently-abled woman asked to remove prosthetic limb at Mumbai airport

Dated: 02 Feb 2016

Mumbai: A 24-year-old differently-abled woman was allegedly asked to take off her prosthetic limb and pass it through the screening machine at Mumbai airport. The differently-abled woman Antara Telang claims she was humiliated by airport authorities and she was forced to move around with her heavy prosthetic limb. Telang added that this is not the first time she faced discrimination and that repeated complaints have made no difference.

"I was in tears this time, I felt humiliated in the manner the officials spoke to me. My dignity was completely taken away. They spoke to me rudely and asked me what is the full form of ETD (explosive trace detector). They put me in a room where the chair was in the far end and then I had to hop with my 6 kg prosthetic limb. Then they did not let me stand outside saying that "log aapko dekhenge" (people will see you). Please don't cry. We don't want to see you cry," she claimed.

Telang said that she was booked on an early morning flight. "I was arguing with them how they could screen me without taking off my clothes. They did not listen to me. They were rude. After 45 minutes I had to give in. I had no option but to strip and walk through a public place."

"This is not the first time. I have written twice to CISF. I used to carry my disability certificate. But this did not help. In past two years, I had to go through this experience 7-8 times here in Mumbai. We are not looking for sympathy. But when other countries can take some steps to ensure we don't go through a harrowing experience. I don't buy CISF's explanation that prosthetic limbs can't be exempted. They are not giving a proper reason. What security threat. People swallow drugs," she added.

Source: IBN Live

Professor Anita Ghai, a wheelchair user made to crawl by Air India at Delhi Airport

Dear colleagues,

In a shocking case of apathy, Professor Anita Ghai- a disabled passenger, a colleague & activist  - was denied a wheelchair while deboarding from an Air India flight and was made to crawl up to the coach. She took the Alliance Air (Air India's regional arm) flight from Dehradun on Friday, on the evening of  29th Jan 2016 with four of her colleagues. 

A seasoned traveller, she waited with patience for her wheelchair to arrive, for which she had put in a request earlier as per procedure. But it did not, and in a shockingly insensitive incident, she was made to crawl on the tarmac from the aircraft to the coach. 

Dr Anita Ghai, 57, Professor at Ambedkar University, was travelling with her friend when she boarded Air India's flight AI 9610 on January 29 at 6.30pm (Dehradun to Delhi). The air-hostess did not register her requirement for a wheelchair despite repeated requests. "As per rules she again requested air hostess after reaching, but she was asked to be patient. She did not even get up as all passengers have to deplane , before she could go . The flight reached at 7:30 pm. Passenger coach came without wheelchair. She requested them to bring coach to aircraft, they said it can’t be done due to security reasons. after waiting for one hour, Anita Ghai was totally exhausted, and infact started howling and crying . There was no option for her BUT TO CRAWL, for 20 meters from airplane to the coach in absence of a wheelchair.

The Airliner, however, has issued a statement rebuffing the allegations and said that the wheelchair had been provided to the passenger. "Since the flight was parked at a distant bay it took some time to bring the wheelchair. Since passengers were getting down from the aircraft, our support staff actively helped the passenger to come out of the aircraft ensuring any inconvenience and the wheelchair was provided at aircraft doorstep," an Air India statement said.

"We deeply regret any inconvenience caused to the passenger. However, we strongly deny the statement appearing in media. We at Air India give utmost importance to passenger's safety and comfort," the statement added.

Dr. Ghai says that the airlines is 'blatantly lying' and has asserted that she is contemplating legal action. "I complained for a reason and not they are denying what happened. They are blatant liars. It was a case of complete negligence and I was traumatised. They should just acknowledge their mistake. If they don't I will ensure they don't do this again to disable people, just because we are vulnerable," Ghai said.

Narrating her side of the incident, she said that she was made to wait for more than 30 minutes for a wheelchair which never came and that she had to crawl out of the aircraft waiting for the coach to arrive with the chair.

"For around 15 minutes I was made to wait after all the passengers had de-boarded. They (stewards) told me that the wheelchair will come, but it did not. The door of the plane is narrow so I knew the chair could not be brought inside, but they did not even have an aisle chair. I can't stand as I have polio, so I crawled down the steps waiting for the chair. She was finally finally provided with a wheelchair at the arrival hall and not at the bay," she said.

Breaking his silence on the subject, Mr. Ashwani Lohani, CMD Air India aid, "This case is a sad case. There has been failure to the extent that it should have been mentioned in the ticket so that passenger handling gets advance information that there is a wheel-chaired person who needs a wheelchair at the ramp. This did not happen. Had she waited a bit, we would have provided her a wheelchair. He further said, I have written to the lady and we have regretted for the incident."

Meanwhile the disability rights activists are demanding an inquiry into the incident wherein Dr. Ghai- a physically challenged passenger was made to crawl on the tarmac of the Delhi airport. The activists want the Civil Aviation Ministry to set-up an inquiry and punish the guilty for gross negligence.

"We demand an inquiry into the horrible incident where Air India made Professor Anita Ghai, a differently-abled woman passenger, crawl on the tarmac of the Delhi airport by denying her a wheelchair. The responsible persons need to be punished for this gross negligence. Air India should give an unconditional apology to the passenger.


They cannot ill-treat people with disabilities in this horrible manner. The latest guidelines on 'Carriage by Air of persons with disability or reduced mobility' must be strictly enforced in line with the goals of the 'Accessible India' campaign," said a petition on Avaaz.org.

Media Coverage: 

(a) DNA : Disabled passenger made to crawl, slams 'liar' Air India's statement
(b) NDTV: Differently-Abled Woman Passenger Alleges Air India Made Her 'Crawl'
(c) Times Now:  Anita Ghai Demands Apology From Air India
(d) Times of India: No country for Differently abled.
(e) Indian Express:  Air India Accepts 'Delay' in Providing Wheelchair to Disabled Woman
(f) Petition on avaaz.org: Inquiry into HORRIBLE INCIDENT making disabled woman passenger CRAWL

Dr Anita Ghai, a fellow disability activist and Associate Professor made to crawl by Alliance Air in absence of wheelchair at Delhi Airport

Dear Colleagues, 

Here is a shocking case of apathy revealed by our fellow disability activist Dr. Anita Ghai, an associate professor about the treatment meted out to her by the Alliance Air - a regional carrier operated by Air India at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Dr. Ghai - a passenger with disability was denied a wheelchair while de-boarding from an Air India flight.

Dr. Anita Ghai, Associate Professor & a wheelchair user

Dr. Ghai was forced to crawl off plane and onto tarmac after airline failed to provide a wheelchair for her' 

• Dr Ghai claims she waited 30 minutes for a wheelchair that never arrived
• She said she crawled down the steps and onto a bus bound for a terminal 
• India's Alliance Air has denied the claims and said it offered a wheelchair

Anita Ghai said she was left shocked and embarrassed by the way she was treated by Alliance Air, a regional carrier operated by Air India, at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The 53-year-old claims she had to crawl off the plane and onto a bus that took her to the terminal after she waited half an hour for a wheelchair that never arrived.

Ghai, who uses a wheelchair after suffering polio as a child, told DNA India she stayed behind after the other passengers had disembarked.

She said: ‘They [the flight attendants] told me that the wheelchair will come, but it did not. The door of the plane is narrow so I knew the chair could not be brought inside, but they did not even have an aisle chair.

‘I can’t stand as I have polio, so I crawled down the steps waiting for the chair.’

Ghai, a disability rights advocate and associate professor at Delhi University, said a wheelchair was provided once she reached the arrival hall after the bus ride.

She said the incident occurred after she arrived in New Delhi from Dehradun on Saturday night. She said she told staff before arriving that she would need a wheelchair.

In a statement given to India’s national press, Air India denied the woman’s claims.

The airline said: ‘Since the flight was parked at a distant bay it took some time to bring the wheelchair. Since passengers were getting down from the aircraft, our support staff actively helped the passenger to come out of the aircraft ensuring any inconvenience and the wheelchair was provided at aircraft doorstep.

‘We deeply regret any inconvenience caused to the passenger. However, we strongly deny the statement appearing in media. ‘We at Air India give utmost importance to passenger safety and comfort.’

Dr. Ghai shot back at the airline, refuting the claim of the airline saying that it was ‘blatantly lying’ and she is considering legal action.

Sources:

Times of India: 30 Jan 2016, Disabled woman passenger alleges Air India made her 'crawl'

Dail Mail: 01 Feb 2016, Disabled passenger 'was forced to crawl off plane and onto tarmac after airline failed to provide a wheelchair for her' 

NDTV: 31 Jan 2016, Differently-Abled Woman Passenger Alleges Air India Made Her 'Crawl'

The Hindu: 31 Jan 2016, Air India made me ‘crawl’, claims disabled woman

DNA India: 31 Jan 2016  Disabled passenger made to crawl, slams 'liar' Air India's statement

United Airlines fined $2.75 Million over failure to provide fliers with disabilities prompt & adequate assistance in enplaning & deplaning

United Airlines fined $2.75 million over treatment of disabled fliers and tarmac delays

The U.S. Department of Transportation has fined United Airlines $2.75 million over the carrier's treatment of disabled passengers and for stranding passengers on delayed flights for more than three hours.

The federal agency said an investigation of United Airlines' treatment of disabled passengers was sparked by "a significant increase in the number of disability-related complaints."

"A review of these disability-related complaints revealed that United failed to provide passengers with disabilities prompt and adequate assistance with enplaning and deplaning aircraft," the  Transportation Department said in a statement.

Those complaints included an incident in October when a passenger with cerebral palsy was forced to crawl out of a United flight because airline crew failed to provide him with a special wheelchair that he requested. The airline publicly apologized to the flier a week later.

In an employee newsletter Thursday, United Airlines said it had begun testing a new smartphone app and other technology so that passengers and crew members can more quickly order wheelchairs on planes and in terminals.

“We expect this to greatly improve our ability to have wheelchairs where they need to be, when they need to be there, so that our customers can get on their way home or to their next destination with ease,” said Jon Roitman, senior vice president of airport operations at United.

Of the $2-million fine assessed over the violations against disabled passengers, United has agreed to spend $150,000 to improve audits of its wheelchair vendors and $500,000 toward developing the technology to make it easier for passengers to request wheelchairs.

The remaining $750,000 of the fine was because of five lengthy delays that stranded passengers on the tarmac at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Dec. 8, 2013, plus another lengthy delay at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport on May 20, 2015. All six delays kept passengers on the planes for more than three hours because of severe weather.

Under a 2010 rule, commercial airlines are prohibited from holding passengers on a delayed flight for more than three hours without giving them the option to leave the plane. The time limit extends to four hours for international flights.

Source: Los Angeles Times