Jet Airways leads by example- allows service dog with Child with Autism

Dear Colleagues,

In an unprecedented, but very right based move, the Jet Airways - an Indian Airliner, allowed a service dog for a passenger with autism. So far, people had only seen passengers with visual or orthoepedic disabilities allowed to travel with a guide dog/service animal.

I welcome this move and commend the team at Jet Airways for this great and pathbreaking initiative. However, the newsreport that appeared needs little correction. Simbaa - the labrador is not a pet (for there are different rules and also charges for the pets to be transported by air), but a service dog trained to assist his master ( a person with disability). Therefore,  allowing the service dog to travel with the master free of cost is within the ambit of the DGCA's CAR on carriage of persons with disabilities by air.  The airline deserves accolades for a correct interpretation of the CAR.

Also, the effort and perseverence of the family to insist for their legal rights and the cooperation of the Jet Airways is a wonderful example of how through an open dialogue, things can be sorted out amicably so beautifully.

Here is the news report from Times of India penned by Manju V.

Dog’s day out: Airline lets pet fly with autistic master

By Manju V, TNN | Mar 3, 2013, 04.58 AM IST

MUMBAI: When eight-year-old Jiyon Ganguly walked into Kolkata airport with his labrador Simbaa one January morning, the terminal paused in its steps. Passengers gawped and as Jiyon's mother Parama Bhattacharya and Simbaa stepped into a curtained enclosure for the pre-flight security check, the stunned woman security officer accidentally dropped her hand-held metal detector.

"She almost fainted. There was such a commotion. But Simbaa being the gentleman he is, stood calm through it all," Parama said.

After all, it was probably the first time in India that an autistic passenger was allowed to board a flight with his therapy dog. Most airline websites say only passengers with physical disabilities — those with a visual or hearing impairment — can board a flight with dogs trained to assist them. There's no mention of mental health assistance dogs.

In India, as in many countries abroad, only humans are permitted to fly in passenger cabins. Animals have to go cargo, except in cases where the animal in question is trained to assist a passenger with a disability. The general rule is clear: service dogs are allowed onboard flights. But most airlines interpret it to mean only persons with physical disabilities.

This is the grey zone that Jiyon, afflicted with Autism Spectrum Behavioural Disorder, and his therapy dog Simbaa, a nine-month-old labrador, navigated on January 12, when, after two weeks of negotiations, Jet Airways let them fly together.

It started with a traumatic train journey from Mumbai to Kolkata on December 23. Since dogs are allowed only in first class cabins on Indian Railways, the family booked themselves into one on Duronto Express. On board, Simbaa ate the pesticide meant for rats. Since the train did not have a halt, the labrador spent night and day vomiting. The dog settled after a visit to a veterinarian in Kolkata, but the family was jolted.

"I had checked airline websites and passengers with mental disabilities are not allowed to carry their therapy dogs on board. The only option was to send the dog into the cargo hold," Parama said. That was when she decided to speak to Jet Airways.

She got a negative response from the airline's reservation team in Kolkata. "They asked me what is autism, whether it is an abnormality, whether it is retardation. I explained and they said I should speak to their medical team in Mumbai. The Jet doctor said they had never done this before, but he asked me to get a medical certificate from Jiyon's doctor on his condition and the need for him to travel with the dog," Parama said, adding that his tone suggested there was little chance the dog would be allowed.

Parama said she persisted with the doctor and reasoned that if they could pay heed to passengers with physical needs, why not those with mental issues. The airline finally agreed to let the boy travel with his therapy dog. "It was probably the first time that any airline in India had allowed this. Jet took care of everything right from the time we entered the terminal building. It was the best flight Jiyon and I had ever taken," said Parama.

A Jet Airways spokesperson said that as a policy, they permit service dogs for disabled guests or those with special needs and there is no charge applicable.

Dr Harish Shetty, the psychiatrist treating Jiyon, said: "It's fantastic that an airline has recognized this disability and is compassionate. Therapy dogs have a calming influence on the patient. When flying, the child is in an environment that he is not used to, so having his dog on board helps greatly.'' The doctor said he had not come across any cases in the past when a patient with a mental disability was allowed to fly with his/her therapy dog.

News Source: Times of India

Now the disabled veterans could buy adapted cars through CSD

Ministry of Defence, government of India decides to provide adapted / modified cars through CSD (Canteen Stores Department) to disabled defence personnel.

Giving big relief to a large number of disabled defence personnel, the Ministry of Defence has decided to provide the automatic driven cars or cars which are suitably modified to meet their requirements through the CSD canteen stores. 

The move will enable them to procure the cars at subsidized rate which is much below the market price. 

Sources said that after the direction of the Ministry of Defence, the canteen stores department has written to all the major car manufacturing companies to send their proposals to the department for the enlistment.

The General Manager of the CSD stores has written to the Hyundai, Maruti, Ford , Toyata, Nisssan, General Motors etc for providing the detail of the cars useful for the disabled personnel. 

The letter has said, “Representation has been received from Disabled War Veterans for introduction of automatic driven cars. In order to meet social obligation stipulated under Disability Act all companies are requested to send their proposal.” The copy has also been sent to Col HN Honda president of the Association. 

Colonel ( Retired ) SK Agrawal disabled army officers has said that many cars are available in the market which are specially designed for the disabled personnel but the disabled persons cannot buy them due to their high prices. 

He said that if these cars are made available in the CSD stores then large number of the disable personnel can be benefited by the decision

There are large numbers of the disabled ex-servicemen residing in different parts of the county. 

Lt Colonel (Retd) SS Sohi, President Ex-Servicemen Grievance Cell said that the time has come to give their due to the war disabled. The move to provide the cars from the CSD will help them to live with dignity and pride. 

Companies are manufacturing cars for keeping in mind with different disabilities. Hand controlled cars are suitable for physically challenged people. Hand controls can make driving much easier with more control and faster response times. These cars have hand operated brake and accelerator and hand operated clutch.

Source: Daily Post India 

Ahmedabad BRT - a "Light House Project" - United Nation

NEW DELHI: The United Nations has chosen Ahmedabad's Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) as a showcase project to highlight that addressing climate change is not a burden, but an opportunity to improve the lives of people.

The 51-km BRTS will be highlighted as a 'lighthouse project' as part of the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Momentum for Change Initiative at the Doha round of negotiations to be held later this month. The initiative was launched by the UN Secretary General at the 2011 Durban round of the UN-sponsored climate change negotiations. The "lighthouse projects" are an attempt to "transform the impression of slow progress in negotiations, into a positive can do environment that recognizes action and progress".

As people need to travel longer distances to work or for leisure, there has been a rapid rise in the vehicular traffic, especially as public transport systems in India's cities have been unable to cater to the rising demand. There is an annual 15% rise in the passenger-km that Indians travel, and a 10% increase in the sale of vehicles particularly cars to meet the requirement, according to official data. Transport has become one of the chief sources of rising emission.

Rising pollution, congested cities, larger imports of petroleum resulting in rising prices of petrol and diesel has prompted cities such as Ahmedabad to look for ways to address the crisis on the roads. The Ahmedabad BRTS, which began as pilot project on a 12.5 kilometre stretch in July 2009, has emerged as an example of how a planned commuting system can help reduce emissions and improve air quality as well as have a positive impact on urban development.

"The city of Ahmedabad, which flanks both banks of the Sabarmati river, has many bridges. About ten years ago, we had a pollution situation that made visibility poor. You just couldn't see the bridges. The pollution was so bad that if you were driving on the bridge or waiting at a red light your eyes would water. So around 2002-03, the city moved to CNG, which improved matters. The next step was to improve public transport," said Akhil Brambhatt, deputy general manager, Ahmedabad Janmarg Ltd.

The Ahmedabad BRTS or Janmarg is part of this effort. In the three years of its existence it has expanded to 51 km. Some 20% to 22% of commuters, who were using two-wheelers to commute, have moved to the bus system. The Janmarg's success comes even as Delhi's attempt at introducing a BRTS failed. Ahmedabad learnt its lesson from the nation's capital's mistake. "We took a lot of care in the route selection. Our slogan was simple-avoid busy roads but connect busy places," Brambhatt explained.

For the first three months, the Ahmedabad BRTS was run as a free service. People used the service out of curiosity and well because it was free. The doors were opened to suggestions, and many of these were incorporated into the working of the system. Even when it became a paid service, the charges were low. Brambhatt points out that the minimum fare of 3 for a 2-km trip is among the lowest in the country. The minimum fare in Delhi is 5.

Source: Times of India

UK's Civil Aviation Authority to handle air travel complaints of disabled passengers now

Dear Friends,

We find the world is gradually becoming inclusive for people with disabilities where the affairs of the disabled are not segregated to be dealt by exclusive commissions / ministries but integrated in to the mainstream network of handling consumer affairs. Transfer of handling air travel complaints from disabled persons from Equality and Human Rights Commission UK to their Civil Aviation Authority is one such good example which should be followed world over  not only to mainstream the disability issues but also to spread the sensitization about the disability in the larger community.

Here is an advice released by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority for the benefit of persons with disabilities and those with reduced mobility after the authority took over responsibility for handling air travel complaints from disabled people and those with reduced mobility from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Any passenger in the UK that faces difficulty travelling within an airport or on board an aircraft – through disability, injury, age or any other reason - is entitled to help from the airport or airline. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is today reminding travellers of their rights and offering advice on what to do to improve their air travel experience.

Anyone who is unhappy with the service they receive when travelling should first contact the airport or airline they used, but if they don’t receive a satisfactory response the CAA can then take up the case on their behalf.

And to ensure the CAA delivers the best possible results for those that aren’t happy with the service they get from an airport or airline, it has set up the “Disability advisory group” - a forum where disability groups, consumer groups, the Department for Transport and the CAA can share data on the issues of most concern.

The rights of people with reduced mobility travelling by air apply across the EU and the CAA is responsible for enforcing them here in the UK. Its efforts focus on making sure airports and airlines meet their passengers’ needs and as part of this, the regulator is stressing to passengers the importance of informing their airport and airline of their needs at least 48 hours before they are due to travel. This can help improve the level of support passengers receive by allowing enough time for suitable preparations and additional facilities to be made available.

The rights for disabled passengers and persons with reduced mobility travelling by air are set out in EU regulation under 1107/2006 which is available at link: Rights of Disabled Passengers.  (9 page PDF document, link opens in a new window)

Iain Osborne, Group Director for Regulatory Policy at the CAA said: “Anyone who is able to fly safely should have fair access to air travel, and the right to any support they need to travel within the airport and board the aircraft. The obligations on airports and airlines to provide this support are very clear, and as we saw during the Paralympics, having everyone work together is the best way to ensure passengers get the service they deserve.

“However, there are still occasions where people do not receive the support they need and this can be very distressing for those passengers. By notifying their airport and airline of their needs in advance of their flight, passengers can help prevent this. And if they still don’t receive a good quality service, we want to hear from them so we can work with the airports and airlines to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Information and advice for passengers with reduced mobility is available from the CAA’s online passenger portal at www.caa.co.uk/passengers. The portal also includes other useful advice for passengers before they fly, whilst on board their flight and how to complain if something goes wrong.

Passengers who are not satisfied with the response from a complaint to an airport or airline can refer their complaint to passengercomplaints@caa.co.uk

regards

Subhash C Vashishth

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