On 5/25/11, Sathiyaprakash Ramdoss <sathiya.ramd...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hmm!Discrimination instances against disabled by airlines keep > accumulating in India? > Few instances from the past- > Example-1: Taken from- > http://www.dnis.org/news.php?issue_id=13&volume_id=3&news_id=464&i=7 > > Ali, 26, with locomotor disability, booked a ticket on Indian Airlines > and was placed on the waiting list. For nearly a month he was on the > waitlist no. 1, without getting a confirmed seat. > He has alleged that it was not a case of excess booking with Indian > Airlines (as several persons who had booked tickets after him were > given confirmed status), but because he booked his ticket under the > category of disabled persons. > Indian Airlines issues ‘M’ category tickets at concessional rates to > visually impaired people and people with locomotor disability of 80 > per cent and above. Ali claims that the practice of the company is to > issue only waitlisted tickets to disabled persons, regardless of how > well in advance they may have booked the tickets, and not confirm them > until the time of departure so as to accommodate passengers paying the > full fare. > As per the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, as also directions of > the Supreme Court of India, Indian Airlines, as a state-owned carrier, > is under legal obligation to pursue disabled-friendly policies. > Through his counsel S. S. Dey, Arman Ali filed a writ petition praying > for non-discrimination by Indian Airlines in issuing ‘M’ class > tickets, and further direction to the airline for giving confirmed > ticket on booking by a person with disability on his availing a ticket > at concession rate solely on the criteria of availability of seats on > aircraft and not on any other commercial consideration. > Justice A. Roy, in his order dated 24 June, has issued a show cause > notice of motion to the Ministry of Civil Aviation as well as the > Indian Airlines Ltd. asking as to why the prayers of the petitioner > should not be granted and has fixed the matter for 18 July, for > further consideration and necessary orders. > > > Example-2: Taken from; > http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-06-20/india/27990719_1_disabled-protest-human-chain-rajiv-rajan > Disabled protest in Chennai airport against offloading NGO activist > PTI, Jun 20, 2007, 02.06pm IST > CHENNAI: About 100 physically challenged persons on Wednesday formed a > human chain in front of the domestic airport here in protest of > refusal by a private airline's to allow a cerebral palsy victim to > board the aircraft without an escort. > Holding placards, the disabled, most of them in wheelchairs, held a > peaceful protest by forming the human chain for nearly 90 minutes. > They demanded equal rights and urged the Government to put an end to > discrimination against the disabled. > "We've been facing discrimination from various airlines and Monday's > incident was the height of it. It not only violated human rights, but > also the International Civil Aviation rules," said Smitha, Assistant > Coordinator - Vidyasagar, an NGO which organised the agitation. > > Example 3: Taken from; > http://www.petertan.com/blog/2007/12/20/widespread-discrimination-of-disabled-passengers-by-low-cost-airlines/ > > The Hindustan Times news titled Airline Displays Callousness in > December 19 reported that Sanjiv Sachdeva was asked to sign a bond to > absolve Jetlite from all responsibilities should anything happen to > him in a flight on December 16. Jetlite is an India-based low cost > carrier. Sanjiv has filed a complaint with the Directorate General of > Aviation and the Commissioner of Diabilities. > In the same newspaper report, another wheelchair user Mahesh > Chandrashekar was subjected to similar conditions by Deccan, India’s > first low-fare airline. Mahesh was reported to have said that the > language used in the indemnity form sounded prejudiced, embarrassing, > derogatory and appeared as if a favour has been doled out to a > passenger with disability who is travelling on a fully-paid ticket. > Indemnity forms are worded in such a way that the person who signed it > absolves the airline from all blame should anything happen. Too bad if > that person dies or is injured as a result of flying with the airline. > To add insult to injury, if the airline has to incur additional costs > because of that person, the said person has to bear all that. Tell me, > where is justice in that? Heads I lose. Tails also I lose. Mana boleh? > Unbelievable? Go read the indemnity form that Airsia made me sign. > > Shame on you Civil Aviation ministry of India!. Thank You. > > Your's Sathiyaprakash > > > > > > > > > On 5/24/11, Madhu Singhal <madhu.singha...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Dear Members, >> I want to share that last year king fisher refused to book my ticket to >> Bangalore to Delhi. >> I wrote a letter personally and also from comitioner disabilities office. >> One fine day they called me over phone and said that sorry for this >> incident >> and requesting me please do not force to give in writing. >> Accept our apology our staf was unaware that blind person can travel >> alone. >> I did not persue further.----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Pradeep banakar" <pradeepsocialw...@gmail.com> >> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> >> Cc: <linkingle...@yahoogroups.com>; <friends...@googlegroups.com> >> Sent: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 4:17 PM >> Subject: [AI] Kingfisher crew offloads blind woman with kids >> >> >>> Friend of myne forwarded me this information >>> >>> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/article/0gG70zO9fqb0C >>> >>> Kindly copy the message and send the email to chair >>> kingfisher airlines, NHRC, DGCA. >>> >>> >>> Subject: Act immediately >>> >>> >>> >>> Tuesday, May 24, 2011 >>> >>> >>> >>> To: >>> >>> The Chair Person, >>> >>> King Fisher Airlines >>> >>> >>> >>> Dear Chair Person, >>> >>> >>> >>> Sub-Registering protest for immediate and appropriate action against >>> guilty crew >>> >>> >>> >>> This is to register our strong protest against the inhuman, cruel and >>> indecent behaviour of your crew and other airline members shown towards a >>> woman with visual impairment and her 2 children. We are shocked and >>> humiliated by the act and express our serious concern over the matter. >>> This is the clear case of violation of the provisions enshrined in The >>> "UN >>> >>> Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities-2006" where India >>> has signed and ratified the same; Guidelines issued by DGCA for all >>> airlines with regard to persons with disabilities in May 2007; Persons >>> with disabilities Act 1995 and other human rights treaties and >>> conventions. >>> >>> >>> >>> Disabled community of this country strongly condemns this act with clear >>> and loud words."Violation or Exclusion of persons with disabilities from >>> enjoying their human rights on an equal basis with others cannot be >>> excused any more". We urge you to initiate immediate and appropriate >>> action against the guilty crew and the parties concerned who are >>> accountable for this inhuman act. >>> >>> >>> >>> We look forward to hear from you as early as possible about the action >>> taken against the guilty and measures taken to prevent this kind of acts >>> in future. >>> >>> >>> >>> For more details on the incident please read below. >>> >>> >>> >>> With warm regards, >>> >>> >>> >>> Victor >>> >>> >>> >>> Kingfisher crew offloads blind woman with kids >>> >>> >>> >>> Airline makes them disembark from flight, leaves them unattended for >>> nearly an hour and a half as aircraft takes off without them >>> >>> A private airline made a blind woman and her two children disembark from >>> her connecting flight to Goa and left them unattended for nearly an hour >>> and a half while the plane took off without them. >>> >>> Adding insult to injury, the airline's staff allegedly told the woman >>> that >>> >>> she could not travel with two kids because she was blind. >>> >>> >>> Shabnam Mansuri had flown in to Mumbai from Ahmedabad with sons Lukman >>> (7) >>> >>> and 18-month-old Luftaan, and was on her way to Goa when the incident >>> happened >>> >>> Shabnam Mansuri (35) says the experience has made her realise the fallacy >>> of thinking that she can be treated like everyone else despite her >>> handicap. >>> >>> On May 10, Mansuri was travelling with her sons Lukman (7) and >>> 18-month-old Luftaan from Ahmedabad to Goa via Mumbai to meet her >>> husband. >>> >>> Her tickets had been booked with Kingfisher Airlines. >>> >>> "I boarded the Kingfisher flight from Ahmedabad and reached Mumbai, from >>> where I was supposed to take a connecting flight to Goa. >>> >>> I had barely taken a seat in the connecting flight around 12.30 pm when a >>> crew member came and asked me to follow him. He also asked me to take my >>> cabin baggage and kids with me. >>> >>> Initially, I thought that he must be changing my seat, but realised >>> something was amiss when he took me down some stairs," said Mansuri. >>> >>> "I asked him why he was making me get off the plane but he refused to >>> answer. When my kids and I got off, they closed the aircraft's doors and >>> took off, leaving us standing there. >>> >>> One attendant told me later that I cannot travel with two kids as I am >>> blind. I was shocked," she added. She kept telling the attendant that she >>> had two young kids and needed to meet her husband in Goa, but to no >>> avail. >>> >>> Finally, close to 2 pm, a staff member came and told her that they would >>> arrange for her to board a 4.40 pm flight to Goa."I did not want to bank >>> on them anymore. I called my husband and he arranged for us to board >>> another airline's 3.10 pm flight. >>> >>> My question is, how can they let me travel from Ahmedabad to Mumbai >>> without any trouble and then say I cannot travel with two kids from >>> Mumbai >>> >>> to Goa? I was travelling on the same airline in both cases," said >>> Mansuri. >>> >>> She said the experience was one of the worst she's had in her life. "I am >>> blind but that doesn't mean they have the right to discriminate against >>> me. >>> >>> I had paid the full fare and if they had some problems, they should have >>> informed me before I boarded. My elder son is so traumatised by the >>> incident; he says he does not want to fly anymore." >>> >>> Husband reacts >>> Mansuri's husband, Samir, who is the Chairman of Blinds Dream, an NGO, >>> wrote a letter to the airline to complain about the treatment meted out >>> to >>> >>> her. >>> >>> A portion of the letter states, "Kingfisher officials told my wife that >>> if >>> >>> she thought they were cruel, she shouldn't travel with them anymore." >>> >>> "What the Kingfisher staff did to my wife is shameful. They had done >>> something similar with me in 2005 (see box) and I will not let them get >>> away this time. >>> >>> >>> Flight tickets of Shabnam Mansuri and her two sons Lukman and Luftaan >>> >>> They have replied to my letter but that is not enough. I will take this >>> issue to the consumer court and will go to the Supreme Court if need be. >>> >>> This is an insult to me and my family and I will not tolerate it under >>> any >>> >>> circumstances," said Samir. >>> >>> He alleged that he had come to know that his wife was made to disembark >>> because of a VIP booking at the last moment, which led to the flight >>> being >>> >>> overbooked. >>> >>> "If their company cannot handle blind people, they should declare that >>> visually challenged people are not allowed to fly Kingfisher," he added. >>> >>> The Other Side >>> When MiD DAY contacted Kingfisher Airlines, they said they regretted the >>> incident. Prakash Mirpuri, vice-president, corporate communications, >>> Kingfisher Airlines Limited, said, "We are investigating the matter. >>> >>> In the meantime, we would like to convey our deep regret for the >>> inconvenience that may have been caused inadvertently to our valued >>> guests." >>> >>> Earlier too >>> Dr Samir Mansuri, Shabnam's husband and a celebrity doctor who is also >>> blind, had allegedly been insulted by Kingfisher Airlines in 2005 as >>> well. >>> >>> According to Samir, he was travelling from Mumbai to Ahmedabad that year. >>> >>> "I was first in the queue to board the flight, but I was made to wait >>> till >>> >>> all the other passengers boarded. When I went inside, they forced me to >>> visit a washroom outside the aircraft even when I did not want to go. >>> >>> They said they were doing that so I would't have to visit the airplane's >>> loo when we were airborne. The crew told me that they could not allow me >>> to use the aircraft's washroom as I am blind and there were female crew >>> members on board," said Samir. >>> >>> "I felt insulted and raised the issue in the media. Vijay Mallya then >>> issued an apology for the indecent behaviour on the airline's part," he >>> added. >>> --- >>> >>> IF we not part of the solution then we are part of the problem >>> With Regards >>> Pradeep T.S >>> SyndicateBank >>> Information Technology Cell >>> Regional Office Bangalore >>> Mobile: 9845925188 >>> email: pradeep_bana...@rediffmail.com >>> skype: pradeepsocialwork >>> Search for old postings at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>> please visit the list home page at >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>> >> >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please >> visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > >
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