Disabled Pass Holder offloaded by Driver of Public Transport in UK

Dear Colleagues,

Persons with disabilities are often poked fun at for their disability and misbehaved with while using public transport in India and routinely in rural belt where transports systems are not well developed still. Many of such travelers hold their free or highly concessional travel passes from the State Transport Departments or Social Justice Departments which means they are often looked at as a customer who will not pay up for the travel and thus ridiculed and commented upon. This has been observed that the drivers of public transport do not stop when they see a disabled traveler waiting at the bus stop or do not align the bus with the bus bay or stop the bus much ahead of the bus bay to discourage use of public transport by the passengers with disabilities.

What has happened in UK with Ms. Jess McGee is horrifying and it is difficult to compensate for the loss of dignity and shock that she suffered during the travel. If the law, in public interest and for public safety, disallows her to drive, she has all the rights to be compensated for her loss of opportunities in her independent mobility and this is highly discouraging for persons with disabilities to use public transport if such incidences occur when they step out to work, education or for any other chore.

Such incidences generally go unreported in India, especially when it comes to road transport such as State Transport Buses, Metro Rail and Indian Railways. Though several disabled flyers have taken up issues of maltreatment and discrimination in the past (perhaps they had access to media and were from sound economic backgrounds!) when they were asked to sign a bond or not given facilities for safe and comfortable transfer despite paying a full fare.  However, not all persons living with disabilities have those means and access to media and thus things go unreported. We need a campaign across India to ensure dignity during travel for persons with disabilities.

Here is the coverage from Daily Mail, UK

Teenage epilepsy sufferer with disability travel card ordered to get off bus by driver who said her pass was a 'p*** take’

• Jess McGee, 19, left 'shocked and embarrassed' after the incident on her way to work in Bath, Somerset
• She had no money but was saved by a kindly passenger who stepped in and paid her fare
• Travel bosses say they are investigating

Jess McGee,19, from Bath, Somerset, was on her usual route to her job at a supermarket when she showed the driver her legal bus pass.

As an epilepsy sufferer she is registered disabled and is entitled to free travel on public transport because she cannot drive safely. The driver on board the number 13 service asked to take a closer look and then demanded to know her disability.

When she explained her condition he told her it was a 'p*** take' and ordered her to pay or get off the bus.

Jess wasn't carrying any money but was saved by a kindly passenger who stepped in and paid her fare.

She said: 'I felt very shocked and embarrassed.  'I was so shocked at the time that I didn’t feel I could put up an argument. 'People I have spoken to since have said all the things I should have said to him but at the time I just couldn’t.'

The incident happened when she tried to use her Diamond travel card from Bath and North East Somerset Council. Mum Penny fumed: 'I was just really outraged. 'She is totally reliant on public transport because she hasn’t got the option to drive. 'She has got a lot of barriers that have stopped her from doing things, but she is trying to live life to the full.

'It just made me angry that anybody could treat anybody like that.  'It was just absolutely none of his business what her disability was.'

A spokesman for operator First said: 'We will be getting in touch with Ms McGee as soon as possible to apologise for any distress she may have suffered.

'As part of our training programme we train all of our drivers in disability awareness and expect all our staff to recognise and respond to the range of different needs that our customers may have, this includes hidden disabilities such as epilepsy.

'However, we will be taking further steps to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.'

Disabled Rights Group quits civil aviation panel

NEW DELHI, June 1, 2012

Special Correspondent

The Disabled Rights Group on Thursday disassociated itself from the Civil Aviation Ministry's committee that is looking into the problems faced by the differently-abled or persons with reduced mobility, saying it did not agree with the process the panel was following.

The committee was set up two months ago to review guidelines for differently-abled flyers and offer suggestions for improving facilities to make their travel convenient.

The DRG said the Ministry failed to take action against the erring airline operators — which are also part of the panel — that had violated guidelines repeatedly.

While it was important to review the guidelines, the Ministry not taking some immediate steps, even if small, to implement the existing rules to stop ground-level harassment “seems like buying time and pacifying the sector's anger. If we are to wait till the regulation is revised by the committee and then accepted by the Ministry to get any ground level justice, then it may take a lifetime,” DRG member Shivani Gupta wrote to the panel.

Since the constitution of the committee, two instances have been reported of harrowing experience suffered by Javed Abidi, DRG Convener, and Shuaib Chalklen, Special Rapporteur on Disability with the U.N. “Both these cases happened with IndioGo, one of our committee members. If being part of this committee is so meaningless, then why have the committee?”

The DRG said the committee had listed issues that encountered non-compliance such as who was responsible for assisting disabled passengers, and lack of an adequate complaining mechanism. “But these are issues already known to the Ministry that you need to tackle in collaboration with the airlines internally, then why is time being wasted to get a report out of the committee when these matters can and will finally be resolved through internal discussions...?”

The Hindu

New 787 Dreamliner from Boeing becomes the first accessible aircraft

Dear Colleagues,

Something good to share! Boeing has re-designed its lavatory to make it more accessible to persons with disabilities. Its slightly old news but its important since we haven't in India yet woken up to demand that all furture aircrafts bought by the airlines- private or government, must adhere to accesibility requireements. Therefore, it is important that the Governemnt of India and the airliners while procuring new aircraft for their fleets, specify the mandatory accessibility requirements  to the supplying companies. Best would be to include this requirement in the Tender document itself!

Here are the media release from Boeing:

Boeing Unveils Improved Access Features on the 787
EVERETT, Wash., March 26, 2007 -- When Boeing's [NYSE:BA] newest airplane, the all-new 787 Dreamliner, enters service in 2008, passengers will experience a more comfortable flight because of enhanced accessibility features.

"We analyzed accessibility issues passengers face on today's airplanes and incorporated advancements to better accommodate passengers of all ages and capabilities," said Mike Bair, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "These advancements, coupled with the Dreamliner's larger windows, bigger carry-on bins, lower cabin altitude and cleaner air, will ensure that everyone enjoys a better flying experience on the 787."

Boeing partnered with the National Center for Accessible Transportation at Oregon State University to research accessibility improvements. As part of the research, Boeing engineers who design interiors were placed in simulated environments to better understand accessibility issues faced by persons with mobility, sensory and cognitive disabilities. In addition, the team worked with individuals with these disabilities to verify improvements.

Virtually all aspects of the Dreamliner's interior enhance passenger comfort. For example, all lavatories aboard the 787 Dreamliner feature universally designed interior and exterior door handles that are more intuitive and enable easier access by passengers with limited hand agility. Assist-handles installed in all lavatories are easier to grip and offer passengers better stability through improved design and location. "Touchless" features including faucets, toilet flushing and waste flaps can be activated by infrared sensors in addition to their traditional mechanical operation, making them easier to use.

Boeing is offering two wheelchair-accessible lavatories on the Dreamliner, each with significant advancements. The 56-inch longitudinal lavatory repositions the entryway door and toilet to provide extra usable space and makes it easier for passengers to reach and use the facilities.

A 56-inch by 57-inch convertible lavatory includes a movable center wall that allows two separate lavatories to become one large, wheelchair-accessible facility.

Photo Credit: Boeing Media Release 

Other wheelchair-accessible lavatory improvements include an additional toilet flush button on the sink cabinet and a fold-down assist bar to aid independent transfers.

Additional enhancements are sprinkled throughout the airplane. Exterior assist handles are better positioned to accommodate passengers of all heights and levels of mobility. Overhead stowage bins are easier to reach, and latches work whether they are pushed or pulled, eliminating uncertainty. Bigger closets are offered that enable personal wheelchair stowage in the passenger cabin, while special closet features will better secure the wheelchair. As on current airplanes, aisle seats will have movable arm rests that offer passengers with disabilities easier access to their seats.

"Boeing is making an ongoing effort to identify opportunities to improve the flying experience," said Bair. "The 787 Dreamliner will set a new industry standard for accessibility on airplanes." 

Kate Hunter-Zaworski, Professor of civil engineering and director of OSU’s National Center for Accessible Transportation worked hard with the  engineers of Boeing on improving the accessible lavatory.

For your information, at Oregon State University, the National Center for Accessible Transportation (NCAT) is conducting basic research on accessibility issues and developing practical, cost-effective improvements in transportation technologies, with the goal of making transportation more accessible for everyone...

To watch the full news on a video visit http://engineering.oregonstate.edu/momentum/ncatVid.html




 

Indigo also sings the same song after harassing a passenger with disability

Dear Colleagues,

Another tale, however it is surprising to see that it is coming from Indigo this time which is considered by the disability sector to be a sensitized air carrier! It is disappointing and calls for urgent action on the part of the senior management team. And training not only for the Indigo staff but also for the security officials posted at the Airports. Here is the news from the Times of India.

No intent to harass disabled: IndiGo airline

Prerna Sodhi, TNN May 19, 2012, 01.41AM IST

NEW DELHI: A day after wheelchair-bound Shuaib Chalklen alleged harassment by IndiGo staff, the airline responded to TOI's queries on Friday afternoon, saying the personnel checking in the passengers inadvertently wrote paralysed on the boarding card of the special rapporteur on disability with the UN Commission for Social Development.

The email received from the airline says, "The IndiGo staff checking in the passengers inadvertently wrote paralysed on Mr Chalklen's boarding card which is NOT the usual process that IndiGo follows. We are taking serious action against the IndiGo staff. We regret the inconvenience caused to Mr. Shuaib Chalklen and hope he will see this experience as an aberration and not the rule at IndiGo."

Chalklen, who has been wheelchair-bound for 35 years, said he had received no word from the airline. He said the airline was avoiding the basic issue. "The basic issue is that they do not have a trained staff or the necessary equipment. How do they plan to take care of passengers with disability in future?" he said.

The email claimed Chalklen was offered the airline wheelchair at the check-in counter on Thursday afternoon as his wheelchair was slightly larger and could not pass through airport security. "Mr. Chalklen was requested to move to the 'IndiGo wheelchair', however, Mr. Chalklen chose to use his own wheelchair and this was refused by CISF at security area."

It added: "IndiGo wheelchair was shadowing the passenger. The staff at once provided the wheelchair (not an aisle wheelchair) and the passenger's wheelchair was sent back to the check-in counter to be tagged and sent through the in-line screening."

On Chalklen's allegation about the confusion over seat on the Mumbai-Delhi flight - he had said that after a passenger refused to swap seats, he was asked thrice if he could move slightly, stand or walk to another seat - the airline said, "Mr. Chalklen was originally assigned seat 3C, however, the assistant manager requested passenger seated on seat 1D to move to 3C. This took few minutes."

Echoing Chalklen, activist Javed Abidi of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People said such an incident was not new and the airlines were avoiding the basic issue. "The airlines have to answer where are the aisle wheelchairs, the wheelchairs. We are going to follow it up with the authorities concerned as these incidents are happening repeatedly," he said.

The chairperson of Svayam, Sminu Jindal, said that taking action against or dismissing the employees at the lower strata was not the solution. "The top notches have to understand that the policies have to percolate down to the lowest level," she said.

She added, "Apologizing and issuing public statements is not enough. The need of the hour is clear-cut instructions on things that are non-negotiable and this has to go down to the bottom-most level."

Source: http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=CAP/2012/05/19&PageLabel=6&EntityId=Ar00600&ViewMode=HTML

Jet Airways get its staff sensitized in disability equity

Dear Colleagues,

This is subsequent to my earlier post on the meeting at the DGCA's office with the senior representatives of the airlines operating in the country. Here is a message from our colleague Md. Asif Iqbal about the Sensitization Training that he and Ms. Jeeja Ghosh conducted for the Jet Airways on 10th May 2012 wherein some 103 employees of Jet Airways participated.  While this is a good news that such initiatives have started, there is a need to standardize the course content and have these trainings across all airlines under the supervision of the DGCA.

Message from Md. Asif Iqbal

Dear all,

I am pleased to inform you that Jet airways have taken an initiative to sensitize their ground staff through road shows at all Metros.  As you are aware; I and Jeeja Ghosh who was victim of discrimination by airline officials were invited to conduct training sensitization program for ground staff of Jet airways in New Delhi.  I and Jeeja both shared our story of discriminations, challenges in life along with miths of disability.  We both conducted two sessions and 103 employees of Jet airways attended our session on may 10, 2012.  General manager customer Service for Jet airways, Mr.Tejinder Singh who is leading this initiative is confident that we would be able to make a impact on changing attitude and perceptions of ground staff while they handle guest with special needs.

Jet airways is going to role out this initiative to Mumbai and other metro. While I welcome the initiative of policy reform which will take while before it is implemented. I thought offering our assistance with regard to

conducting training and sensitization to ground staff of airlines might be most practical and quickest solution in illuminating discrimination.

I also had a meeting with deputy director General civil Aviation, Mr. Lalit Gupta, requesting him to replicate Jet airways initiative to all other domestic airlines in India.  I and Jeeja were pretty satisfied with yesterday's training and look forward to support such initiative in the future.

Thanks and regards

Asif

Jetstar out of pocket even if it wins wheelchair appeal

Jetstar out of pocket even if it wins wheelchair appeal

JETSTAR may well be pondering how many extra wheelchairs it could have provided for disabled passengers, as it weighs the dollar cost of what constitutes ''public interest'' in a disability discrimination stoush in the Federal Court.

Jetstar and Virgin Australia have been accused of discrimination by Sheila King, 78, who is reliant on a wheelchair as a result of post-polio syndrome, and a car crash in 2008. At stake is the business model of the low-cost airlines, which restrict wheelchair-assisted passengers to two per flight.

It was Jetstar's tight margins as a low-cost operator that convinced Federal Court judge Justice Alan Robertson that although Mrs King had been discriminated against, Jetstar was allowed to do so because of ''unjustifiable hardship'' provisions. Mrs King has appealed.

It was the question of litigating in the ''public interest'' that swayed the court this week to agree to a protective costs order that will see Jetstar out of pocket, even if Mrs King loses.

Justice Nye Perram agreed to Mrs King's request to cap costs at $10,000, saying the public interest proposition being put was that ''low-cost operators ought not be achieving their margins at the expense of disabled persons''. Mrs King is being represented pro bono and with some legal aid funding.

The judge was sympathetic to Jetstar's position - and that at the initial trial costs were capped at $20,000. Jetstar has estimated its appeal costs lie between $100,000-$180,000. No date has been set for the appeal or the Virgin Australia trial.

Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/business/jetstar-out-of-pocket-even-if-it-wins-wheelchair-appeal-20120425-1xlio.html#ixzz1t86exjIE

Frontier Airlines Fined For Violating Rules Protecting Air Travelers With Disabilities

Washington, DC--(ENEWSPF)--April 13, 2012.  The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today assessed a civil penalty of $50,000 against Frontier Airlines for violating rules protecting air travelers with disabilities.

“The Department of Transportation is committed to ensuring that airline passengers are treated fairly, and passengers with disabilities are no exception,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.  “At DOT, we take our aviation disability rules seriously and will continue to take enforcement action when airlines violate these rules.”

An investigation by DOT’s Aviation Enforcement Office into complaints filed against Frontier found that the carrier violated the DOT regulation implementing the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) with respect to its transportation of an individual with a disability.

The individual filing the complaint, a quadriplegic who has no use of his arms, legs, or torso, is unable to sit upright in an aircraft seat without support and restraint.  Frontier failed to provide him appropriate notice, in advance of the return portion of his round-trip transportation, that Federal Aviation Administration requirements prohibit seatbelt extenders as restraint devices for his upper body, even though the carrier had permitted him to use the devices in three prior flights, including the outbound flight of the trip in question.  On the return flight, the individual did not have an alternative restraint method and was removed from the flight.  The Department’s disability regulation requires airlines to provide passengers who notify them that they use a wheelchair for boarding, as this individual did, of any limit on the carriers’ ability to accommodate passengers with a disability, even if the passengers do not request the information.

Frontier also violated the Department’s disability regulation by failing to provide the passenger with adequate assistance in pre-boarding and getting on and off the plane, despite receiving multiple advance notices that the individual had a disability and needed assistance prior to his flight.  DOT requires airlines to provide assistance to passengers with disabilities while boarding and deplaning aircraft, including the use of wheelchairs, ramps, mechanical lifts and service personnel where needed.

The consent order is available on the Internet at www.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2012-0002.

http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/latest-national/32619-frontier-airlines-fined-for-violating-rules-protecting-air-travelers-with-disabilities.html