Community Chat

[Peaches McPhee]

You know the old saying . . . there are three sides to every story.  One side, the other side, and someplace in the middle.  

[cherry]

snip,,,I don't trust Delta one bit

Airlines are not commonly known for their great customer service these days.  Often, passengers feel more like livestock than guests as they wait to board, and then are shuffled onto their flights where they’re stuffed into increasingly smaller spaces as airlines struggle to squeeze every dollar they can out of each flight.  That being said, I was still shocked to read about a disabled passenger on a recent Delta flight who was  “forced to crawl down the aisle of the airplane, down the stairs of the aircraft, and across the tarmac to his wheelchair without any assistance from the crew or the use of any mandated safety equipment,” with an audience of a “great number of people”.

Why? Because the airline hadn’t provided the proper safety equipment for the passenger, and didn’t want to risk liability.  Apparently, humiliating a human being was the better choice in this situation?  Even worse, this not only happened on his departing flight, but on his return flight home as well.

According to court documents, when  D. Baraka Kanaan booked his round-trip flight, he was assured by a Delta agent that “all was noted in the company’s travel database, and that he would be received and given reasonable accommodation for his disability.”  Unfortunately, his original flight was canceled due to weather, so Kanaan had to take a flight out on the following day.  Apparently, the company’s travel database did not pass on the memo that there was a disabled passenger being bumped from one flight to another, because Delta was not at all prepared to assist him.  He was not informed of this until arriving at the airport for his flight.  A flight attendant informed him that not only did they not have the aisle chair to move him between the airplane door and his seat, but they also did not have a lift to go down the stairs from the plane to the tarmac to get him to his wheel chair.  When he asked how he’d get to and from his seat, he was allegedly told by a flight attendant “I don’t know, but we can’t get you off the plane”.

Kanaan couldn’t just sit on the plane all day, so he took it upon himself to not only crawl down the aisle, but also down the stairs and across the tarmac to his waiting wheelchair.  Not one member of the crew stepped up and offered to assist this passenger.  That must be some liability.  I’d like to think that in a situation like this, I’d be willing to lose my job in order to help someone else avoid this kind of humiliation.

Upon retrieving his wheelchair, Kanaan called Delta.  They offered him a $100 travel voucher and an apology for his troubles with the assurance that he wouldn’t experience the same trouble (and embarrassment) on his return trip.

Guess what?  His return trip was delayed, again due to weather, and when he arrived for his flight, the passenger was told yet again that the safety equipment was not available.  This time, however, they did offer him a piece of cardboard to scoot on to avoid getting dirty.

You have got to be kidding me.

I kept reading on, hoping that this was some sort of wayward Onion piece that got lost and found its way in the news.  Unfortunately, it is not.

This time, Delta really stepped up and offered Kanaan 25,000 frequent flier miles.  Maybe that would be acceptable if it were for flights on another airline.  Kanaan is now seeking damages from the airline.  I have a hard time imagining how Delta will worm their way out of this one, and can only hope that this serves as a lesson to them, and any other airline – putting fear of liability above common decency and respect will cost you a whole lot more in the long run than anything that could have possibly happened while assisting a passenger to and from their seat.

(hat tip to Ben Wills for the heads up on this story)

[FrostyBabe1]

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@cherry wrote:

If they had done this to my mother, I would be more than a little angry. He made arrangements long before the day, and they were ignored. He didn't just   dump her at the terminal. There was supposed to be a proper chair for her available

The fact  the airlines offered them 20,000 free air miles says guilty ,as far as I am concerned. They are doing this for all disabled people who fly..bravo

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Actually, 20,000 miles on Delta isn't even enough for one round-trip ticket in coach. Worth very little. 

[151949]

It sounds like the son really tried to embellish it for the social media.It is not uncommon in hospitals for patients who need to be restrained in order for them not to slide out of a wheelchair , for the nurses to use a sheet or a blanket to do so because it is a softer restraint than the belts. From the picture I saw it looks like this woman gets spasms and goes rigid, which would cause her to fall out of the chair. Anything for a moment in the sun and a possible $$$ settlement.

In the picture she does not appear to be in any distress.

I wonder how she manages to stay in her seat on the plane if she is getting spasms and going rigid that seatbelt alone would not be sufficient.

[Kachina624]

We need to hear the other side of this story.

I, a disabled person, had an unfortunate experience with U. S. Air several years ago.  Rather than go whinning to the news media, I filed a complaint with the FAA.  In due time I received a response that my complaint was investigated and was found to be justified and I'd be hearing from the airline.  Of course I never heard a word.  I think many of these airline complaints are money grabs.

[Annabellethecat66]

There's a lot that goes on with these airlines that we never hear about...I know that for a fact.

However, I do agree that the husband should have spoken up.  Now that said, I also think one has to be careful how much one says or does on planes these days because I don't think it takes a lot to get thrown off of a plane.

I have to wonder if the son isn't covering his fanny (so to speak) and perhaps didn't make it clear exactly what was needed for his his mom.

It seems like these specific details on what's needed goes through a lot of people right up until the person gets on the plane. 

I know in my case I can't walk (way too far) to the plane from where I'm let off outside of the airport.  My daughters have made sure a wheelchair is waiting for me and the person pushing me is with me the entire time.  My daughter checks the bags where I'm let out of the car and my daughter even tips the guy (who takes the baggage).  I tip the attendant when I get to where the plane is leaving.

Again, we won't really know because we weren't there.  My guess is some of it is true, some exaggerated....

In any case, the poor lady is the one who suffered from all of this.  I hope she continues to live her life and doesn't let this keep her from enjoying life.

[qbetzforreal]

The account is not clear.  Did this happen in the US or Amsterdam? How did she manage to get through security?  At what point did Delta put her in the wheelchair?  How was she going to manage once she and her husband cleared baggage claim?  It seems to be that she must have a specialized chair of her and that could have been valeted and ready for her when she was ready to deplane.

I agree with the other posters that there are two or three sides to the story.  It seems when ever airlines mess up, it's quickly posted on social media to curry favor and sympathy.

[Isobel Archer]

"On April 1, the woman and her husband traveled from Atlanta to Amsterdam, where a wheelchair with specially designed straps was supposed to be waiting for her after the flight."

So this happened on arrival in Amsterdam apparently - and her husband was with her.

If she was in distress due to the blanket being too tight, rather than take a picture of her, I'd think he would help her loosen it enough to be more comfortable.

While I absolutely agree it is horrible that the proper accommodations are not in place - when specifically requested and agreed to (even more horrible in the case of the man who had to crawl off the plane), in this case, if the approrpriate wheelchair wasn't there or available, I'm not sure what should have been done to fix the problem. 

The blanket seems a reasonable idea - although clearly if it was so tight it caused a bruise, something should have been done.  I can't comment on whether he blanket was "dirty," but I'm wondering if that could be exaggeration.

[Isobel Archer]

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@qbetzforreal wrote:

The account is not clear.  Did this happen in the US or Amsterdam? How did she manage to get through security?  At what point did Delta put her in the wheelchair?  How was she going to manage once she and her husband cleared baggage claim?  It seems to be that she must have a specialized chair of her and that could have been valeted and ready for her when she was ready to deplane.

I agree with the other posters that there are two or three sides to the story.  It seems when ever airlines mess up, it's quickly posted on social media to curry favor and sympathy.

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I agree it is confusing.  My DH plays softball with a man whose wife had a stroke.  They travel all over - fly, take cruises etc. - and take her wheelchair with them.  Since this woman needs a special one, I agree with you that taking it with them - especially overseas - would be a very good idea to avoid situations like this.

[Junebug54]

Do you seriously believe that a Delta official would tell someone to shut the f.... up?