Miss-Delectable

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3241727

Thu 22 Jul 2004



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6:54pm (UK)
'Humiliated' Deaf Teenagers Removed from Spain Flight

By Alan Jones, Industrial Correspondent, PA News


A group of deaf teenagers going on holiday to Spain were told to leave their aircraft at the last minute today because they did not have an adult with them.

Parents and disability rights campaigners attacked Iberian Airways for “humiliating” and upsetting the 23 youngsters.

They were pupils of Mary Hare Grammar School for the Deaf at Newbury, Berks and were due to go on holiday to the Canary Islands, via Madrid, to celebrate the end of their A Levels.

The break was organised several months ago and parents said the airline was told they would be travelling by themselves.

“They checked in and boarded the plane at Heathrow after asking if they could sit together. Their baggage was loaded on but then someone decided to throw them off.

“They were taken back to the terminal, their baggage was taken off the plane because apparently the airline wanted them to have a hearing person with them,” said one of the parents, who did not want to be named.

“I am absolutely disgusted. These young people have the courage to travel despite their disability but they have been embarrassed.

“A lot of them were crying and they have been made a spectacle just because of their disability.”

Parents have been trying to contact the airline to protest at the treatment of the deaf youngsters, who were told they would have to stay in a hotel tonight while the situation was resolved.

A spokesman for the Disability Rights Commission said the incident highlighted the need for the airline industry to be brought under the Disability Discrimination Act.

The youngsters are all aged 18 and 19.

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Fly Free

they all are at or OVER the legal age of adulthood at 18!!!!!!!!! im appalled with the airlines' behavior towards those kids who were going on holiday!!! the airline are IDIOTS!

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javapride

ABSOULTELY dumb oh man and all cuz they want a hearie MAN my ex went thru crap with an airline who didn't help her or escorted her due to her back damn RME they didn't even acknowledge she was deaf just pointed where to go
but nothing else gawd!

crazyerica32

now that's def they can go on their own cuz they are above 18.. I'm sure they wud sue airlines for not lettin them continue their trip

CatoCooper13

That's blatant and outright discrimination, that's for sure. I sure hope I'll be reading about them suing the flight company for humilating them and kicking them off the plane just because they were deaf!

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Liebling:-)))

Oh No, again!!!

It's understandable when they are over 18 years old. I don't understand because I myself was 18 years old flied to Tenerife with my friends without accompany hearing humans.
We travelled alot since we were 18 years with no complication... I really don't understand.

I hope that they sue flight company to hurt their human rights.

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GalaxyAngel

Yeah, sue'em
that big time discrimation!

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Parent's proud our children.

wesley-uk

yeah its totally unfair, i know some of those people as i went to same school as them,

i heard that they flew to spain yesterday after the airline decided to let them thro after 1 day delayed

Shame............

Liza

I hate insulting the primitive ooze, but it's apparent evolution hasn't caught up yet with those people in the airline industry who made it quite difficult for the young and deaf people.

Opal

Hope they will consider to give all deaf people 1/3 discount of plane tickets.

British people get 1/3 discount in booking train tickets to travel anywhere further because of their deafness as they cannot hear the loudspeaker if the train changed at the last minute and so on.

Deaf people living in London, Manchester and Liverpool receive a free 24 hours transport with train, bus, and underground tube within their home areas.

In Australia we don't get a discount with any transports, what about other countries?

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kuifje75

In Utah, if you get a special card, then you are entitled to discount tickets. I don't worry about it because I live right in downtown Salt Lake City, and they have a "fare-free zone" where everyone can ride the buses and trams for free. For destinations outside the fare-free zone, I usually purchase discount tickets.

I think with Amtrak, you get 25 percent off the tickets, but it is still very expensive. For airlines, you don't get any discounts. In New Jersey (my old home state), NJ Transits would give you discounts if you had a disablity card.

In Germany, they have this special pass which enables disabled person free transports anywhere within the 50 km from their home. After 50 km, you pay regular fares. I heard that the government was talking about getting rid of that, but I am not sure exactly.

edit: Apparently this system has been done away with. I just checked the webpage about that and here is what it said:

I guess deaf people have to pay 120 DM or equivalent in euros to use the transports for free.

I also found in another website:
It also addresses up to 50 km. I am confused now, heh heh. Care to enlighten us, Liebling:-)))???

Opal

Ah I almost forgot to add that the airliner wasn't pleased to see me catch a 24 hour trip to Australia at Heathrow Airport because I was then 8 months pregnant, and I show them my Obs Dr's letter to confirm I am fit to travel with my 1 yr old daughter, they tried hard to cancel my ticket telling me recently the plane was forced to landed because of the pregnant passenger given birth and it disrupt others for late arrivals and so on, my sister and father talk them out of it!

I made it and 4 weeks later my other daughter was born on her due date 13 years ago!!

Despite it, I don't have any problem with airliners and they never stop me, and If I shown them my British passport, they shown I am deaf automatic in their computer memory without having me inform them in first place!! my other Australian passport won't shown in their computer - strange isn't it!

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Liebling:-)))

Yes, the government was planned to rid of that but no more now. Phew!


Well, there’re 2 things, we (disabled people) has to choose one to use:

Use disabled pass for 120 DM a year for around 50km with train, bus etc.

Or

Use 50% discount of car tax a year.

We decide for discount of car tax because we use our cars everyday for go to work, etc. (I wish to use both… never mind ).


120DM a year BUT EURO??? I guess it should be EURO 60??? I don't know because we use discount for car tax for a long time. Most Germans use discount for car tax than 120DM for around 50 km with train or bus... I guess that students use them mostly. I'll find out.

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