Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20060520115044141C133400
Airlines operating in South Africa will be summoned to parliament to answer questions on how they accommodate people with disabilities on their planes.
The decision was taken on Friday by parliament's Joint Monitoring Committee on the Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons.
This follows an incident in Malawi in March in which members of Disabled People of South Africa were asked to disembark from an SAA flight on their way back home. SAA subsequently apologised and told the committee that the correct booking procedures were not followed and that the airline was therefore not prepared in terms of its safety regulations to assist the passengers.
SAA's coastal operations manager Alan Meyer yesterday told the committee that by next month the national carrier would have established an airline forum for people with disabilities. It would involve other airlines, ground handling agents and organisations representing the disabled.
On Friday the difficulties faced by people with various disabilities were highlighted.
Committee chairperson Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, who is deaf, told MPs how her husband was nearly arrested by the captain of an aircraft because of confusion about his hearing aid. The issue was resolved when he used his cellphone to tell them he was deaf.
Another problem was the poor condition and shortage of passenger aid units that are used to lift passengers in and out of planes and move them around the airports.
Airlines operating in South Africa will be summoned to parliament to answer questions on how they accommodate people with disabilities on their planes.
The decision was taken on Friday by parliament's Joint Monitoring Committee on the Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Children, Youth and Disabled Persons.
This follows an incident in Malawi in March in which members of Disabled People of South Africa were asked to disembark from an SAA flight on their way back home. SAA subsequently apologised and told the committee that the correct booking procedures were not followed and that the airline was therefore not prepared in terms of its safety regulations to assist the passengers.
SAA's coastal operations manager Alan Meyer yesterday told the committee that by next month the national carrier would have established an airline forum for people with disabilities. It would involve other airlines, ground handling agents and organisations representing the disabled.
On Friday the difficulties faced by people with various disabilities were highlighted.
Committee chairperson Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, who is deaf, told MPs how her husband was nearly arrested by the captain of an aircraft because of confusion about his hearing aid. The issue was resolved when he used his cellphone to tell them he was deaf.
Another problem was the poor condition and shortage of passenger aid units that are used to lift passengers in and out of planes and move them around the airports.