Ananth Krishnan reports in The Hindu on the questionable air travel policy and policy development procedure that is currently being challenged throughout India. On the positive side the regulation, specifies:
According to the new requirements, “no airline shall refuse to carry physically challenged or incapacitated persons or persons with disabilities,” as long as they “do not pose a threat” to the safety of other passengers or the evacuation procedure for the aircraft.Airlines will also not be permitted to limit the “number or types” of disabled passengers on a particular flight, except “where required for operational reasons.” The procedure for limiting disabled passengers will also be documented. Airlines will now also have to run “sensitisation and developing awareness” training programmes for staff.
Disability rights experts in transportation are providing their colleagues in India with curricula and resources to develop best-of-class trainings drawing from worldwide experience.
Those with training resources to share may send them to Mahesh Chandrasekar below.
On the negative side:
Dhanasekharan, a representative of Vidyasagar, told The Hindu that the August 15 deadline did not give disabled rights groups enough time to respond to the recommendations. “We were shocked to discover that the deadline was to day [August 15],” Mr. Dhanasekharan said. “By just putting it on the DGCA website, how can they expect all of us to be aware of it?” Vidyasagar has written to the DGCA asking it to extend the deadline for implementing the new requirements. “Before they put the requirements into effect, the DGCA has to have a consultation with disabled groups as after all we are the stake-holders,” Mr. Dhanasekharan said. “They clearly seem to not want any suggestions from us.”
Source:
http://www.hinduonnet.com/2007/08/16/stories/2007081660221000.htm
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