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Family Claims Airline Put Autistic Son In Harm's Way
http://www.kptv.com/news/13838990/detail.html
The parents of a 22-year-old man claimed their son was kicked off a non-stop Southwest Airlines flight to Chicago because he has autism.
Nick Andrews said he was removed from a non-stop Southwest Airlines flight from Portland to Chicago after explaining the mechanics of jet planes to nearby passengers.
“Just told me, ‘Sir, we’re going to need you to step off the plane,’” said Andrews. “I think they may have been scared of me.”
Because of Andrews’ autism, he fixates on things such as airplanes and loves to talk about them.
“I focus on lots of things like carpet cleaners, power engines and jetliners,” Andrews said.
The family claimed that after they put Andrews on the plane to Chicago and made sure he was safe, employees removed him and placed him on connecting flights from Portland to Oakland to Ontario to Phoenix, and finally to Chicago.
A flight that was supposed to take a few hours took 12.
“We had no idea for several hours where he was. He could’ve ended up anywhere in America,” said Andrews’ dad, Dixon.
Southwest Airlines issued a statement, saying, “We deeply regret the inconvenience Nicholas suffered. It appears our flight attendants and employees working at the departure gate were unaware that Nicholas has autism. Without knowing the reason for Nicholas' behavior, our employees had no choice except to make the best decision possible with the information available.”
The family said they are asking for a formal apology from the airlines.
Comments
USDOT regs airlines and disability related consumer issues
This is just FYI that the USDOT have set out regulations specifying that airlines have policies on providing transportation to differently abled passengers--including non-visible disabilities and mental illnesses. The question to me is what the company trainings and reviews are, and whether they actually do/have consulted with organizations which represent persons with disabilities to develop the training programs, policies and procedures related to these questions, as specified in these regulations?
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Excerpt from ull text pulled from Southwest Airlines website:
http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/14cfr.pdf
“U.S. Department of Transportation
14 CFR Part 382
Includes amendments issued through July 2003 (e.g., includes the amendment on reporting of disability-related consumer complaints)
NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL
SUBPART C — REQUIREMENTS
CONCERNING SERVICES”
Excerpt:
Ҥ 382.31 Refusal of transportation.
(cont…)
(b) A carrier shall not refuse to provide
transportation to a qualified individual with a
disability solely because the person’s
disability results in appearance or involuntary
behavior that may offend, annoy, or
inconvenience crewmembers or other
passengers
(cont…)
SUBPART D — ADMINISTRATIVE
PROVISIONS
§ 382.61 Training.
…(i) The requirements of this part and other
DOT or FAA regulations affecting the
provision of air travel to persons with a
disability; and
(ii) The carrier’s procedures, consistent
with this part, concerning the provision of air
travel to persons with a disability, including
the proper and safe operation of any
equipment used to accommodate passengers
with a disability.
(2) The carrier shall also train such
employees with respect to awareness and
appropriate responses to persons with a
disability, including persons with physical,
sensory, mental, and emotional disabilities,
including how to distinguish among the
differing abilities of individuals with a
disability.
(3) The carrier shall consult with
organizations representing persons with
disabilities in developing its training program
and the policies and procedures concerning
which carrier personnel are trained.
(cont…)”
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I am glad that Nick Andrews made it to Chicago safely.I would say that Southwest is very lucky that he did not have problems beyond the delay, since it was within the realm of possibility that he could have become lost or been robbed or had something happen. Fortunately that was not the case.