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Coat of Arms of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil

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he São Paulo State Secretariat for the Rights of the Person with Disability, supported by the Brazilian Tourism Ministry, the São Paulo State Secretariat of Tourism, and the City Hall of Socorro, will hold the Brazilian Congress on Accessible Tourism, at the Socorro Events Center, from September 28th to 30th, 2011.

The Congress will revolve around discussion of case presentations and success stories considered to be fundamental to support public policies which can assure the rights of persons with disability to fully access tourism. This Congress will be most significant to its audience, which will be composed by the tourism trade and State and City Secretariats on this subject.

Event URL (Portguese):

 http://cbta.sedpcd.sp.gov.br


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Seal US DOT

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This excerpt of US Department of Transportation legalese alerts the public that DOT intends to start addressing issues of "mishandled wheelchairs and  scooters used by passengers with disabilities."

 Office of the Secretary, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT or the Department) is proposing to
collect revenue information in a more detailed manner regarding airline imposed fees from those air carriers meeting the definition of a large certificated air carrier. Many air carriers have
adopted a la carte pricing with separate fees for such things as checked baggage, carry-on
baggage, meals, on-board entertainment, internet connections, pillows, blankets, advance or
upgraded seating, telephone reservations, early boarding, canceled or changed reservations,
transportation of unaccompanied minors, pet transportation, third-party services such as hotel
rooms, car rentals, and pick-up and delivery services, et cetera. The Department wants to make airline pricing more transparent to consumers and airline analysts. This action is in response to a departmental initiative and responds to recommendations of the Government Accountability Office. Also, the Department is proposing to change the way it computes mishandled baggage rates from mishandled baggage reports per unit of domestic enplanements to mishandled bags per unit of checked bags. Fees for checked baggage have changed consumer behavior regarding the number of bags they check, skewing mishandled baggage rates. Finally, the Department is proposing to fill a data gap by collecting separate statistics for mishandled wheelchairs and  scooters used by passengers with disabilities.

DOT
Docket No. RITA 2011-0001
RIN 2139-AA13

Full document as PDF:

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Here's the pitch from Parkat.com:


We are the leading airport parking specalist within the UK.  Partkat compares thousands of airport car parking spaces to offer you the best car parking deals
parkat-logo.png
 available. Mega savings can be made when you pre-book you're car parking space online before you travel... It's not just the airport parking price we take into consideration, we include the finer details which make a difference such as car parking security, disabled facilties and much more. 

So don't throw away your money away on expensive airport parking when  because you can save you up to 60% at any airport in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Take a look at some of the trusted airport parking suppliers and providers we compare car parking prices with below:



But let's cut to the important stuff. Have a look at the Parkat Disabled and Reduced Mobility Airport Guide:

What's included in the guide?

  • What happens at security and customs?
  • Airport travel Advice for deaf passengers or persons with reduced hearing.
  • Disabled passengers carrying medication.
  • What help is available at the airport?
  • What to do before you arrive.
  • Return journey help.
  • Passengers with visual impairments.
  • Help at the car park.
  • Travelling with Autism.
  • Guide Dogs & PETS.

Doesn't a site like this seem like the "missing users' manual" that we all knew had to be somewhere if we could only find it? Don't you wish every airport had one?

Bravo Parkat!

A public and heartfelt "Thank You" to Shuaib Chalklen, the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Disability for weighing in instituitionally on what we all know to be true individually.


The European Union's flagship laws to protect the rights of air travellers are not working, say passenger-rights advocates, in the week that the European Commission acknowledged that tougher enforcement was needed.

Shuaib Chalklen, the United Nations' special rapporteur on disability, told European Voice that airlines were not applying the EU regulation protecting the rights of passengers with restricted mobility. "Something has gone wrong. They are not applying the law."

Chalklen, a wheelchair user, said that last week Swiss International Airlines prevented him boarding a flight from London to Geneva, because he could not use the bathroom alone. "I think it is absurd. I am a paraplegic frequent flyer and I've travelled around the world on my own." After he protested, the airline allowed him to fly five days later. Chalklen said he had frequently met similar problems, especially with Lufthansa. "The legislation is fine; it is the knowledge of it that needs to be improved," he said.

Confused airlines

This week (11 April) a report from Siim Kallas, the European commissioner for transport, concluded that the airlines were confused about the 2006 law on rights of disabled people and those with restricted mobility. Some carriers "tended to mix up" flight safety with passenger comfort, such as eating and using toilets, said the report. The regulation allows carriers to act for safety reasons in exceptional circumstances - but never in relation to comfort.

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Metropolis Magazine: Hits and Misses


Universal Design

NOVEMBER 1992


When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990, it was not exactly embraced by the design community--indeed, many saw its requirements as hurdles to achieving their vision rather than spurs for creating inclusive buildings and products. Metropolis took a more optimistic approach. Inspired by the ADA, and by a universal-design conference held in New York City in May 1992, we published a special issue that fall devoted to the question of access. It was a multidisciplinary look at a fledgling discipline, with stories on wheelchair design, accessible taxis, senior housing, city planning, retrofitting historic buildings, and the promise of a "barrier-free environment." Almost 20 years later, the design profession has come a long way--but we're still working to fulfill that promise. 

MISS


User-Friendly Skies

SEPTEMBER 1994


"Airplane interiors are ugly," Aaron Betsky declared in this 1994 essay. "Not only are they cramped, but they are the most plastic-filled, confusingly designed rip-offs of Star Trek aesthetics you or I will ever find ourselves inhabiting for any stretch of time." Fortunately, change was on the way! United Airlines was debuting spaces "as tailored as a Brooks Brothers suit." Continental was planning cabin upgrades that would have "the discreet allure of Miesian minimalism." And most promising of all, Boeing's new 777 would be big enough to have a truly open, flexible interior. Betsky admitted that substantive, industry-wide improvement was still years away--and, boy, was he right. Today, more than 16 years later, we're still waiting for the user-friendly skies.


Source: 

http://www.metropolismag.com/story/20110414/universal-design-user-friendly-skies


A TWA Douglas DC-3 airplane is prepared for ta...

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Be ready as a  new debate takes to the skies -- and speak up loudly if you expect to be heard from the "special section" that you may be assigned to - as exclusion-by-design submits a new flight plan:

Across the skies, there's a growing debate over whether airlines should do more to segregate the seating of passengers -- with designated areas for kids, for example. At a time when increasingly crowded jets have helped to make flying less pleasant for many passengers and social media allow them to instantly tweet their frustrations to the world, a comfortable perch on the plane -- and some tranquility around it -- has become ever more precious.

Polls of fliers by the travel search site Skyscanner and of business travelers by Britain's Business Travel & Meetings Show indicate a majority of airline passengers want sections set aside for families, or cabins that are for adults only. Overweight passengers have complained about being humiliated as airlines enforce rules that they pay for a second seat so they won't crowd their fellow fliers. And some passenger advocates say that designated rows for those who are tall, heavy or disabled would be a good idea.


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Travel News reports: "A new report from PhoCusWright (The U.S. Consumer Perspective on Air Travel) finds that while traveler attitudes toward airlines are lukewarm overall, consumers report feeling worse about their airline experiences versus a few years ago."


In fact:

"Flyers are essentially giving airlines a grade of C+, which is barely above satisfactory," said Carroll Rheem, director of research for PhoCusWright. "But even more concerning for airlines is that their most valuable customers -- business travelers and those with higher annual household incomes -- are even less happy than the average."


With their new "adequate-service-is-optional" approach airlines may be encountering a mild strain of the same "Freedom Flu" that is toppling governments in the Middle East:

"Consumers are inherently reluctant to buy more services from companies they feel are taking advantage of them -- and unfortunately, many feel that way about airlines today," said Rheem. "Airlines have therefore put a ceiling of their own creation on the potential success of optional services. If they focus on repairing relationships with their passengers, airlines have the ability to break that ceiling. Whether or not they have the inclination remains to be seen."

Or not - and pay $2.5 million in fines. Your choice.

Related articles


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Artigo de Adriana Lage sobre o incidente ocorrido com a deputada Mara Gabrilli

Adriana Lage

Li uma matéria no G1 que citava o fato da deputada federal Mara Gabrilli ter ficado duas horas dentro do avião da TAM, na noite de ontem, em Guarulhos, esperando pelo ambulift - veículo motorizado, com elevador, que transporta pessoas com deficiência até o avião; o equipamento é acoplado a uma das portas do avião para que o passageiro possa embarcar/desembarcar com segurança - para que descesse do avião em segurança. Segundo a matéria, a deputada se recusou a descer, carregada, as escadas (escorregadias por causa da chuva) do avião, alegando falta de segurança. Somente após a chegada do ambulift, a deputada desembarcou.

A TAM alegou que não havia finger - túnel que leva os passageiros diretamente do avião ao terminal - livre para que a aeronave em que Mara estava pousasse fora de uma área remota. A companhia aérea lamentou os transtornos causados à cliente e ressaltou que possui pessoal treinado para transportar pessoas com deficiência.

A deputada, por sua vez, ficou indignada com a situação de total descaso. Segundo a matéria do G1, Mara disse que: "Apenas o aeroporto de Brasília recebe 30 passageiros cadeirantes todas as noites. Segundo me contaram, a TAM desembarca, em média, seis cadeirantes por noite só em Guarulhos e estava com o ambulift quebrado há um mês e meio."

Infelizmente, essa foi mais uma situação de desrespeito em relação a pessoas com deficiência. Se fizeram isso com uma deputada federal, totalmente engajada na luta pelo direito das pessoas com deficiência, que viaja com grande freqüência, famosa e profunda conhecedora de seus direitos de cidadã, fico imaginando o tratamento dado a deficientes anônimos pelo nosso país. Seria bom a TAM ouvir o belo discurso que a deputada fez no plenário, onde, entre outras coisas, falou sobre a importância da acessibilidade em nosso país. O Brasil ratificou a Convenção da ONU, na qual a falta de acessibilidade é considerada um tipo de discriminação. Como, em nosso país, discriminação é crime, já está mais do que na hora de tornarmos a acessibilidade uma realidade.

Eu, particularmente, sempre viajo de avião. Cada ida ao aeroporto é uma novela. É impressionante o descaso das companhias aéreas em relação às pessoas com deficiência. A única forma que encontrei para ser um pouco mais respeitada foi andar com uma cópia da Resolução 009/2007 da ANAC, que garante a assistência às pessoas com deficiência em viagens aéreas. Mas, infelizmente, não me lembro de nenhuma viagem em que não tenha tido problemas.

Sem querer puxar a sardinha pro meu lado, gosto muito do atendimento, em Confins, no Aeroporto Internacional Tancredo Neves. Os funcionários são bem treinados, os fingers sempre são utilizados, existem balcões rebaixados e banheiros adaptados, boa sinalização, etc. Faço apenas uma ressalva: a Gol possui um balcão rebaixado para cadeirantes. Só que, em todas as vezes que precisei, os atendentes preferiram me atender nos balcões mais altos. No dia em que perguntei à atendente se o balcão rebaixado servia apenas de enfeite, quase fui linchada!! Precisavam ver a cara da mulher!! Ainda mais que pedi tudo o que tinha direito: auxílio para entrar na aeronave, etiqueta preferencial, etiqueta de frágil e saco plástico para proteger a cadeira de rodas, me recusei a usar a cadeira da Gol indo com a minha até a aeronave, não assinei uma declaração isentando a empresa da responsabilidade de cuidar da minha cadeira, etc. Minha irmã saiu de perto para dar risadas. Nas outras companhias aéreas, também sempre fui atendida em balcões altos. Quando estou atacada, faço o atendente sair do lugar pra pegar meus documentos. Freqüentemente, os funcionários de Confins recebem treinamento. Acredito que, em breve, teremos um serviço melhor ainda. Por causa da Copa do Mundo, o aeroporto está sendo reformado e ampliado.

Podendo escolher, prefiro viajar pela TAM, por ser a única empresa que conheço a possuir o cinto de segurança auxiliar para tetraplégicos. Embora a Resolução exija a utilização desse cinto, sem fiscalização, as empresas não cumprem o previsto na resolução. Só que, muitas vezes, a tripulação nem sabe da existência dele! No ano passado, quando voltava de Brasília para BH, após uma competição de natação, pedi a comissária de bordo que colocasse o cinto em mim. A mulher custou a encontrá-lo. Depois, não soube colocá-lo. Reclamei e ela teve que recorrer à outra tripulação. Quando percebi, apareceram 3 outros funcionários para tentar colocar o cinto em mim. Nem assim, ele ficou 100% certo. Acho que falta treinamento em relação a isso.

Assim como a Mara Gabrilli, também acho muito desagradável ser carregada pelas escadas. Sempre que posso, me recuso. Mas, a pressão é grande. Tanto dos funcionários quando dos familiares que ficam envergonhados com todo mundo olhando. Embora as companhias aéreas falem que possuem pessoal treinado, sempre me deparo com algumas pessoas despreparadas. Em 2008, ao desembarcar no 'submundo' do Galeão/RJ, dois funcionários da Webjet carregaram minha cadeira de rodas. Aleguei que havia visto vários fingers desocupados na pista e que não queria ser carregada. Falei sobre a Resolução da ANAC e nada. Como havia trabalhado o dia todo e já eram 00h 40min, acabei me rendendo pelo cansaço. Saímos debaixo de chuva. Quase caímos. Cheguei ao solo com meu pescoço tombado pra trás. Outra vez, em Vitória/ES, em pleno final de tarde de uma terça feira de carnaval, bati o pé que queria o ambulift para entrar na aeronave. O aeroporto, que é pequeno, estava lotado. O funcionário da Gol queria me convencer de todo jeito. Falou que os vôos estavam atrasados e que demoraria muito para me colocarem lá dentro com o ambulift. Foi juntando gente no check-in... Minhas irmãs e minha prima falaram que estavam morrendo de vergonha com o povo olhando feio pra gente. Como o atendente era bem bonitinho e me garantiu que me levaria em segurança, acabei me rendendo. Mas ele teve que me carregar no colo sem a cadeira de rodas!!

Fico indignada com aeroportos que possuem fingers e obrigam cadeirantes a serem carregados. É muito desconfortável e inseguro. Eu poderia jurar que nunca desceria escadas no Galeão. Doce ilusão!!

Andei de ambulift em 3 aeroportos e foram experiências meio traumáticas. Minha primeira vez foi em Vitória/ES, no carnaval de 2008. Para descer da aeronave, andei de ambulift. Todas as pessoas desceram e eu fiquei à espera. Depois de uns 20 minutos, o equipamento chegou. Só que, por falta de utilização, os funcionários não sabiam operar o equipamento. Lá se foram mais preciosos minutos! Sem brincadeira, devo ter gasto uns 50 minutos para conseguir chegar à área de desembarque! Na volta pra casa, acabei indo pelas escadas por força das circunstâncias. Minhas outras utilizações de ambulift foram em abril de 2010, em Goiânia e Brasília. Fui para uma competição de natação em Goiânia. A descida pelo ambulift foi tranqüila. Já na volta... O ambulift cabia duas cadeiras de rodas, em fila, e o operador. Fui no fundo. A geringonça é aberta, apenas com uma barra nas laterais. O operador do ambulift travou as cadeiras de rodas e começou a operar o equipamento. Na hora de acoplá-lo a porta da aeronave, ele deu uns pulos. Eu morri de medo. A altura é bem grande para arriscar levar um tombo de lá. Foi só minha cadeira se mexer um pouco que me manifestei. O operador me garantiu que eu não cairia de lá. Pode até ser, mas se fosse tão seguro, por que ele estava segurando em uma das barras?rsrs... O Diego, o outro nadador cadeirante, segurou minha cadeira de rodas e me acalmou. Falou que não me deixaria cair de lá; se caísse, ele iria junto. Já, o ambulift que andei em Brasília, é fechado. Parece um container. Fomos 3 cadeiras de rodas e um funcionário. Ainda tinha muito espaço sobrando. O funcionário travou nossas cadeiras de rodas. Sabe-se lá por que, o equipamento começou a pular e as cadeiras de rodas começaram a andar sozinhas mesmo travadas. O funcionário não sabia quem socorria primeiro. Como era a mais leve dos três cadeirantes e, provavelmente, a mais medrosa, tratei logo de fazer um escândalo e garantir ajuda!! Enfim, não gostei das experiências que tive com ambulift!

Outra coisa que me deixa indignada é o descaso/demora nas respostas da ANAC. Sempre que tenho problemas, abro uma ouvidoria. Desde 2008, aguardo resposta de um chamado sobre a utilização de cadeira de rodas motorizada em viagens aéreas. Nas outras vezes em que reclamei, após meses, fecharam meu chamado informando que a empresa aérea havia informado que recebi o atendimento correto e que lamentavam caso eu estivesse insatisfeita. No final das contas, reclamar junto à ANAC e nada, foram quase a mesma coisa.

Enfim, o descaso com passageiros com deficiência ainda é grande. Já me cansei de reclamar sobre isso nos meus textos. Já tivemos algumas melhorias. Mas, ainda falta muito. Tem funcionário que nem sabe que a Resolução 009/007 da ANAC existe!! O treinamento dos funcionários é bem falho! É raro encontrar um funcionário que sabe transferir, corretamente, um tetraplégico para o assento do avião. Já perdi as contas das vezes em que fui: apertada/agarrada por funcionários que não sabiam me carregar, trombei alguma parte do meu corpo no avião, fiquei com a calça caindo ou com o sutiã aparecendo... Viajar de vestido ou saia, só estando com uma lingerie bem bacana e com a depilação em dia! Nunca que se sabe que tipo de funcionário irá nos atender.

Acho importantíssimas atitudes como essa da Mara Gabrilli. Sou suspeita para falar dela, pois sou fã de longa data. Quem sabe com o grito de uma deputada federal as companhias aéreas passem a nos respeitar mais. Eu me lembrei de uma matéria que li sobre o Marcelo Rubens Paiva, na qual ele comentava sobre o desrespeito nas viagens aéreas. Achei fantástico quando ele bateu o pé e só entrou na aeronave depois que ela estava vazia - conforme estabelece a Resolução 009/007 da ANAC. A tripulação teve que solicitar que os passageiros descessem da aeronave para que o cadeirante fosse embarcado. Só depois disso, é que os passageiros voltaram para aeronave. Outra coisa desagradável é a troca de assentos nas primeiras filas. Já fui obrigada, por exemplo, a me sentar na 6ª fileira, mesmo tendo solicitado assento preferencial com 1 mês de antecedência, porque na primeira fila estavam viajando uma mãe com duas filhas maiores de 9 anos. Como a cliente possuía cartão fidelidade, era vip e tinha mais preferência que pessoas com deficiência. Infelizmente, em muitos casos, para fazermos valer nossos direitos, somos taxados de chatos e chiliquentos. Mas, se não reclamarmos, fica mais difícil mudar a situação.
 
 




Stowage for Ground Operations - Train the Trainers
Quarterly live webinar series

Attend this 60-minute live webinar which is aimed for ground ops trainers, supervisors and customer service reps where we do a short presentation then hands-on training

Agenda

Introductions and background information
What is an assistive device
Who uses them

Review of Open Doors Org stowage CD
Discussion Topics
How to read and interpret diagrams and designs
Lifting techniques and stowage techniques
Applicable laws and regulations
Action pictures and videos

Hands on training--What to do if there is damage
Handling, dismantling and general "kick the tires"
Power wheelchairs
3 and 4 wheeled scooters 
Manual chair

Goals of session
1. Feeling more comfortable and educated about handling assistive devices.
2. Understanding those who use these assistive devices.
3. Understanding of where to find the answers if there are any questions

Brought to you by:

www.opendoorsnfp.org
www.themobilityshop.com

 


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Image representing Facebook as depicted in Cru...

Image via CrunchBase

Jaunted likes Delta's new Delta Assist on Facebook. The site even has this foornote:

Disability Assistance
Call 1-404-209-3434
Customers with hearing or speech disabilities please: Dial 711.

Preliminary looks by web accessibility experts report no immediately apparent major design errors.*, ** Could it be that social media once again is fomenting a revolution?

What have your experiences been with Delta Assist? Does the site work with your AT? Is the service positive?

*

1. The "How Can We Help" heading does not <h2> heading tags (violates .22(d) )

2. The decorative image of header.jpg does not have a null Alt attribute (violates  .22(a) )

3. Form fields do not have explicit labeling (violates .22(n) ).  However, they are keyboard accessible. ~ TecAccess

From the Facebook page:

What is Delta Assist?

At Delta, we recognize that the airline industry has room for improvement. While our fliers are looking to social media to share feedback and find solutions, we're listening. Delta Assist, our customer service group, is committed to delivering these solutions in Facebook.

Why bring Delta Assist to Facebook?

We love our fans and appreciate your participation and feedback on our Facebook page. We've listened to feedback on the wall and wanted to give our customers a safe and secure forum for sharing comments and getting the support they deserve. The Delta Assist Facebook tab offers 24/7 support within the Facebook environment.

Delta already participates in conversations on the wall. Why would I use the Delta Assist Facebook tab?

Facebook is great for a lot of things. However, as a public environment, the Facebook wall is not optimally suited for one-on-one customer support, gathering detailed feedback or engaging in conversations with strong dialog. Unfortunately, brands do not have the ability to share private messages on Facebook. The Delta Assist tab provides users with the ability to share their feedback and support communications with Delta in private and with confidence.

What can I expect when I send a message via Delta Assist in Facebook?

When a community member sends a message to the Delta Assist team via Facebook, they will receive an on screen notification that their message has been sent and an automated email confirmation with a ticket number for future reference.

We will do our best to provide a timely response to all messages. Users should receive an email response to all messages within 24-72 hours. We're working in close partnership with all of the appropriate teams across the Delta organization to circulate feedback with key stakeholders and provide the best possible solutions. If you have follow-up questions or require real-time support, please be in touch (using the ticket number provided) via this tab, on Twitter or by phone at (800) 221-1212.

If you need real-time support, please contact us on Twitter or by phone at (800) 221-1212.

Will Delta Assist in Facebook ask me to provide personal information?

Delta Assist has been built to provide as much privacy as possible within the limits of social media. We will never ask for anyone's personal information in public. In order to deliver the best possible solutions, we will ask for your name, email address, Delta SkyMiles® number (when appropriate),the topic of your message and, if needed, your address. We will not share any of this information with anyone outside of the Delta organization or send customers any marketing messages they are not already registered to receive.

How can I share feedback on Delta Assist in Facebook?

We would love to hear your thoughts, ideas or feedback. Please use the Delta Assist tab and select the "other feedback" topic option. We built this tool for you, our fliers, and we're always looking to improve the Delta experience. We look forward to hearing from you!

Source:

https://www.facebook.com/delta?sk=app_184046561629861


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Brazilian councilwoman from São Paulo  Mara Gabrilli reports having to wait two hours to deplane at Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo, late on Wednesday March 2. According to aThumbnail image for Mara Gabrilli.jpg spokesperson for the congresswoman, upon arriving in Brasilia in a TAM aircraft, at around 21 hours, she was inside the aircraft waiting for a ambulift - a motor vehicle with a lift, which carries passengers with disabilities in transit. 


Contacted by the G1, TAM's press office said it was 
investigating what happened and s of 8:50 a.m. on Thursday (3) there has been no feedback about the case.
 
According to the congresswoman, who uses a wheelchair, in addition to the lack of equipment, the aircraft did not stop with the skybridge - the tunnel that leads passengers from the plane to the terminal. "They wanted to carry me down the airplane stairs, slippery, in heavy rain. She refused and 
said he would not leave the plane while there was no safe mans to do so.

Still, according to Mara, the airlines exerted "psychological pressure" that she allow herself to be carried"They said it could take more than three 
hours until a ambulift arrived, but I insisted that I would not be carried," she says. 

Mara Gabrilli describes the current situation as  total disregard for  
passengers who have disabilities. "Even the airport in Brasilia has 
30 
wheelchair passengers every night. I was told that  TAM has, on average, six wheelchairs per night and in Guarulhos the ambulift has been broken for a month and a half."

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Desde G1:

A deputada federal Mara Gabrilli (PSDB-SP), portadora de tetraplegia, afirma ter esperado duas horas para conseguir desembarcar no Aeroporto Internacional de São Paulo, em Guarulhos, na noite desta quarta-feira (2). Segundo a assessoria de imprensa da deputada, ao chegar de Brasília em um avião da TAM, por volta das 21 horas, ela ficou dentro da aeronave à espera de um ambulift - veículo motorizado, com elevador, que transporta passageiros com deficiência em locomoção.

Procurada pelo G1, a assessoria de imprensa da TAM informou que estava apurando o que ocorreu e até as 8h50 desta quinta-feira (3) não havia dado retorno sobre o caso.

Segundo a deputada, que faz uso de uma cadeira de rodas, além da falta do equipamento, a aeronave não parou junto ao finger - túnel que leva os passageiros diretamente do avião ao terminal. "Queriam me carregar pelas escadas do avião, escorregadias, debaixo de muita chuva. Não aceitei e disse que não sairia do avião enquanto não houvesse segurança", disse a deputada.

Ainda, segundo Mara, teria ocorrido inclusive "pressão psicológica" para que ela descesse carregada. "Afirmaram que poderia levar mais de três horas até que um ambulift chegasse ao local, mas insisti que não desceria carregada", conta.

Para Mara Gabrilli, a situação atual é de total descaso com os passageiros que possuem deficiência. "Apenas o aeroporto de Brasília recebe 30 passageiros cadeirantes todas as noites. Segundo me contaram, a TAM desembarca, em média, seis cadeirantes por noite só em Guarulhos e estava com o ambulift quebrado há um mês e meio.

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Out of Africa - some good news!

Piet Human is a dynamic experienced South African entrepreneur. His new innovative audio-visual tour guide has been years in the making and promises to be a new type of travel resource for those with disabilities.

The meeting report below illustrates how Piet's can-do attitude cuts through knots of miscommunication and discriminatory air travel policy to end up with progress toward sustainable justice and customer loyalty among travelers with disabilities. 

Thanks to Piet - and the long tradition of high quality tour operations for visitors with disabilities in South Africa - this group he called together moved South Africa farther up the list of most desirable countries for travelers with disabilities to visit. Yabo! Let's go!

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South Africa is hosting several International Conferences for persons with disabilities later this year. Some agencies and Tour Operators were surprised by the rules for Deaf passengers on our domestic flights. When Jennea Bezuidenhout of Access2Africa Safaris reported these problems to her associate Piet Human of Incar Travel Guide in Johannesburg, he immediately saw an opportunity to start a corrective action plan.

His 10 years working for the National Institute for the Deaf and being self-employed developing Accessible Tourism Systems, gave him enough experience to soon spot the problem areas as he started to study reams of documents by the Civil Aviation Authority and local Airline policies.

Realizing that this could become a long and expensive exercise he nevertheless managed to set up a meeting with the senior manager at the CAA the very next day.

When he got there the meeting suddenly grew to a dozen people! All involved in policy making issues for the disabled in aviation. "That was the quickest presentation I've put together in my mind ever!" says Piet!

He restricted the meeting to issues of a Deaf nature, as that was the most urgent at the time. The airlines rules causing the problems stated things like: A maximum of 8 Deaf passengers are allowed on a 160 seater aircraft. Another airline insisted on 1 able person to accompany every 5 disabled passengers.

These were the main points and outcomes of the meeting:

The CAA acknowledged shortcomings in the rules and regulations, and has embarked on a renewal project concerning their regulations for domestic airlines, but unfortunately the process has grinded to a halt some time ago.

Amongst the many CAA regulations of 1997, no 121.07.15 stated: "The operator of a large commercial air transport aeroplane shall establish procedures, including identification, seating positions and handling in the event of an emergency, for the carriage of passengers with a disability."

Piet remarked: "This was the one statement in the document that for me stood out as part of the problem. At a glance, all the other regulations made perfect sense for wheelchair users, but certainly not for Deaf passengers."  

He went on by suggesting that a shortcoming in the wording of that regulation regarding "Carriage of passengers with disability" should be seen as part of the problem. Airline operators were expected to form their own rules within the CAA regulations, and it is exactly there where defective rules are being created by inexperienced people perhaps even without any consultations with the disabled or their expert advisors. Without a doubt the essential requirement of using expert advice should form part of the regulation.

It came as a great relief when the CAA officials immediately accepted his proposal without any hesitance. Piet pointed out that it is no abled bodied person's fault for not knowing the finer details of a Deaf traveler needs to be safe on an aircraft. But it is a gross oversight for them not to involve people in the know when it comes to policy making.

DeafSA, the regulating body for people with hearing loss in SA has got a popular slogan: "Nothing for the Deaf without the Deaf!" Can you now see the point!?

Me. Yolinda Mooloo, responsible for the new drive behind change, reiterated her undertaking to rekindle the fire to get the CAA's updating process back on track, knowing full well that it is a long and tedious undertaking.

So what about the immediate problems for Deaf group bookings, as no new rules are likely to be ready in time for the conferences this year?  

The CAA agreed that the limitation on the number of Deaf passengers per flight as well as the 5:1 able persons rule is NOT a requirement as far as safety and other regulations are concerned for the CAA. The CAA never suggested that to airlines in the first place!

Airlines should begin to realize that a Deaf passenger can do everything, except hear! There are no logical reasons why any Airline would require these limitations as a safety measure. That can be confirmed by many experts in Deaf matters around the globe.

In view of the immediate need for the conferences this year, Piet was asked to write to all the operators and refer them to Mr. Thabo Fisha at the CAA  fishat@caa.co.za, 011 545-1210 who chaired the meeting. Agents need to request an agent exemption from these limitations, which will then enable all Deaf groups to travel together and as they wish with no restrictions other than that they will not be seated around the emergency exits on any aircraft.  

This exemption will be provided by the CAA, effective for all domestic flights for this year. Agents should allow 3 days for processing. 

Piet pleaded with the CAA not to leave the matter there, but instead continue the process of moving forward until fair and practical new rules are in place that will not undermine people's dignity, all in line with our great new exemplary constitution.

The best news of the day was that the meeting fully supported that need as well. A permanent solution will be sought by the CAA, but this time with the right advisors in place! Piet made a point of recommending the meeting to tap into international resources such as Scott Rains (USA) and Simon Darcy (Australia) who both are powerful role players in Universal Access issues.

On that happy note, the meeting adjourned!

And the best of all? This took only 2 days to materialize!

 

 


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The news of DOT's $2.5 million fine against Delta Airlines posed a journalistic dilemma. On the one hand we knew that this newsworthy event would get its predictable 48 hours of media mindshare but what is the responsibility of those who specialize in reporting about and consulting on inclusion of travelers with disabilities? How could the bully pulpit of social media bring light where there was sure to be heat?

Enter Gerald Adams Scootaround's manager of Online Services.

Gerald was first introduced to me with high praise by some of the pioneers in Inclusive Tourism. Read his guest article about how Scootaround works in the background to make the industry work for us and you will see why.

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Each year, more and more travelers are choosing air travel as their primary mode of transportation. The benefits easily outweigh most other traditional forms of travel; from increased safety and security, a wide selection of flight times across multiple carriers, and best of all, reaching one's destination in the quickest manner possible.

As the amount of passengers increase -- the FAA projects that air travel is scheduled to double in the next 20 years reaching the one billion passengers per year mark by 2021 -- so does the likelihood of passengers traveling with personal mobility equipment. As the mobility equipment industry reacts to a demand by "new seniors" or the "new-aged" as they are being labeled, manufacturers are being asked to produce a more adaptable, portable set of devices that allow a more robust and mobile lifestyle.

New interior on Delta Air Lines' Boeing 737-80...

Image via Wikipedia

With air carriers experiencing the higher volumes of traveling mobility equipment, it is inevitable that equipment damage in transit will also increase exponentially. There is now a growing demand to provide a service for addressing the repair of this equipment while still meeting the special needs of the disabled customer.

This has created both a challenge and an opportunity for progressive air carriers.

Enter Scootaround's Optimum Service Program (SOS)

Launched in 2008, this program and its team of mobility equipment specialists, now support more than 25 carriers worldwide. SOS, the first program of its kind anywhere, is designed to serve the equipment claim requirements of both the traveling public and the airline industry. Scootaround initially had come to be known as the primary national service for individual traveling customers who required mobility equipment rentals at their point of destination. From that beginning Scootaround's scope grew to include specialized mobility rental services at the major convention centers and primary venues throughout the United States. When the service of equipment damaged in transit began to become a more profound requirement, Scootaround was the company of choice to embrace this service. The results have been positive with Scootaround now actively engaged in providing the services for a variety of airlines including Delta/Northwest with whom they first initiated the service.

Services for the Air Carrier - For those travelers disadvantaged by personal mobility equipment damage in transit, Scootaround has been actively involved in working towards an expedient and efficient means of addressing the traveler's requirement to be provided with an interim equipment solution to allow the continuation of their travel needs. They also provide a complete assessment and repair solution for the damaged equipment. Through their established nationwide network of repair depots, SOS is now able to handle claims involving all types of mobility equipment (e.g. mobility scooters, power chairs, wheelchairs, rollators, etc.).

Delta Airlines has used the SOS program for a number of years and has looked to Scootaround for both claims support and for assistance in enhancing their mobility equipment handing procedures.  After employing the services of the SOS program, David S. Martin, Manager for Delta Airlines Disabilities Program said

I have every confidence in the work Scootaround has done and will do for Delta and our customers -- so much so that we have contracted with them to handle all of Delta's claims for North America

That confidence has encouraged the SOS team to continue their ground-breaking services and to help work towards better solutions for damage occurrences.

Services for the Individual Traveler - For individuals who require a mobility device repair for equipment damaged in transit, the SOS team will step in to handle the claim on their behalf. The traveler need only place a call to the Scootaround's One-Call System and an SOS team member will initiate the repair process and deal with the airline directly. The SOS service has grown to include a series of team members that have helped many travelers receive their mobility equipment back with the least amount of disruption.

From a simple joystick repair to a more profound repair of specialized or custom equipment, the SOS team continually demonstrates the expertise required to get the mobility device up and running as soon as possible. This is not always an easy task given today's ever-changing mobility equipment market. The team is constantly exposed to claims involving highly-customized equipment, older, antiquated models and even current models that are be hot off the assembly line.

Another available service for travelers is to leave their mobility equipment at home and have a rental unit delivered and waiting for them at their point of destination. With more than 1500 locations nationwide, Scootaround can be called upon to deliver mobility equipment rentals to businesses, hotels, resorts, convention centers, outdoor venues and almost anywhere travelers require mobility assistance. With thousands of rental customers served each month, Scootaround has the experience to supply the best rental equipment option. 

What's Next?

As the SOS team continues to stay in touch with the industry changes, Scootaround Inc. will continue to support ongoing efforts for service and industry enhancements while continuing to provide the traveling community with the support needed for their equipment needs.

More about Scootaround and SOS:

www.scootaroundoptimumservice.com 



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Expantion of Haneda, Tokyo International Airport.

Image via Wikipedia

With leadership, foresight, and a sense of justice like this in other countries would air travel improve for people with disabilities worldwide?

Following Andy Kennedy's argument in "Can the Airlines Survive the New Access Fines?"

would Delta Airlines have been fined $2.5 million US if the airport had used the simple good design - Universal Design - described here?

Even if one argues that serious distortions of business culture and fiduciary responsibility to shareholder reside in the upper management of Delta Airlines could such a culture sustain itself when "exclusion is excluded by design" like this?

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By Takeharu Yasuda / Yomiuri Shimbun


Japan's airports have been rapidly improving their buildings and facilities based on the concept of "universal design" as a wide variety of people, such as the elderly, parents with baby strollers and people using wheelchairs, pass through airports.

Universal design refers to hardware and software considerations to enable anyone to safely and comfortably use public facilities.

Looking at the departure lobby of the international passengers terminal building of Tokyo's Haneda Airport, Prof. Yoshihiko Kawauchi of Toyo University said, "I believe the universal design of this airport is world class."

Kawauchi, who uses a wheelchair, was deputy chairman of a universal design consideration panel for the terminal building, which opened in October last year.

The most hotly debated issue in the panel's discussions was the design of doors for multifunction toilets.

In the terminal building, all restrooms are equipped with multifunction toilets intended mainly for people in wheelchairs, those with baby strollers, and those with artificial bladders.

Not only the interior fixtures but also the doors were designed for easy use.

People in wheelchairs with weak arm strength usually find automatic doors convenient.

But when such a person is accompanied by a helper, an automatic door can become troublesome. If the helper assists the disabled person in getting situated on the toilet and then politely steps away to provide some privacy, the door's sensors may think it is time to leave and open the door, possibly exposing the person on the toilet to the view of passersby.

For people who are visually impaired, the buttons to open and close the automatic doors can be difficult to locate.

Thus, the airport's universal design panel finally chose doors that open manually and are made of very lightweight material.

Elevators at the airport are equipped with emergency buttons for the hearing-impaired, because ordinary emergency buttons are useless for such people as the system only enables the user to talk with staff.

If a person presses the special emergency button for the hearing-impaired, an airport employee will come to the scene and communicate with the troubled user through written messages or sign language through the elevator's glass doors.

Also, the terminal building introduced the world's first non-sloping boarding bridges. The building also has toilets exclusively for assistance dogs.

The design of the building also took into consideration the convenience of nondisabled people.

The electronic flight information boards employ fonts that make it easier to distinguish 0 from O. The boards also display the content of announcements from speakers, thus are convenient for not only the hearing-impaired but also others who missed hearing the announcements.

There are also 85 "concierge" staff stationed at or near information counters. All of them speak English, and some also speak Korean and Chinese. They can accompany people in wheelchairs and communicate with sign language.

Guide maps for the visually impaired are available. The Braille maps, which fold in half, are useful to nondisabled people as well.

Nobuhisa Nakamura, senior manager of Tokyo International Air Terminal Corp., which manages buildings at Haneda Airport, said: "We'll reconvene the universal design panel, possibly in autumn this year. We'll examine tasks to further improve the facilities."

Centrair in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture, which opened in February 2005, is said to be the nation's first airport to employ the concept of universal design in its buildings.

That airport's design was made more universal not only by engineering hardware improvements but also by considering opinions from disabled people and outside experts.

This approach was also taken in work on Haneda Airport and the international passengers terminal building of New Chitose Airport in Chitose, Hokkaido, which opened in March last year.

In July 2005, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry drafted an outline of policy for promoting universal design in which all kinds of people can comfortably live.

The ministry has encouraged construction and renovation of public transportation and facilities, including airports, based on the concept.

Makoto Nakazawa, president of Barrier Free Co., a Tokyo-based firm assisting companies and organizations in introducing the universal design concept, said: "Though Haneda Airport's level of universal design is textbook-perfect, it's too costly for ordinary companies and hotels to do the same.

"The level doesn't need to be perfect for everybody from the beginning. It's important to start on the parts that are possible to do now."

(Feb. 23, 2011)
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