British Airways and Disability Discrimination!!

rose28454

dmg24 wrote: »

I wasn't allowed an exit row seat with Delta yesterday because I was on my own ... discrimination anyone?

I DEMAND an upgrade! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

You should be ashamed of making fun of having a disability.

dmg24

rose28454 wrote: »

You should be ashamed of making fun of having a disability.

I am not making fun of your brother in law at all, I am making fun of your complete overreaction!

I don't think that anybody should be discriminated against for any reason, but am I less important than a person in a couple, or than a person with a visible disability (I am also disabled, but mine is less apparent)?

The airline could not provide my request (which I was no more entitled to than the next person, I had paid no more than them), and so on the basis of your argument, I should get a free upgrade!

budgetflyer

rose28454 ?Ive thought long and hard over this reply, thought about both sides. Should "jobags" put a special hat on his 5 yr old son to advertise hes terminally ill and needs a bulk head seat more deserving than your BIL ?
He seems so much more gracious in his expectations. How can you not understand this? On that particular flight, there may have been far more disabled or deserving or (just lucky) passengers than your inlaws.So the seats were asigned accordingly. Its not disabled discrimination. in fact its the opposite. You want the airline to give "special treatment"
The problem with that, is just like our welfare state, you end up with 10% genuine and 90% "swinging the lead"
If its a long flight and you know its going to be uncomfortable, over 5 hrs on a plane is uncomfortable for everyone btw, book an upgrade, if you cant afford it-dont go!
Otherwise you might take a seat from a terminally ill 5 yr old !

*jobags* wrote: »

Can I be a bit thick and ask what a bulkhead seat is?

I'm flying to Miami on 22nd May with my 13 month old twins and terminally ill 5 year old son
Would a bulkhead seat be better? (wherever that is)

We've been told he should get a window seat as he needs Oxygen (we have to pay £100 each way for that - not complaining but just wanted to ward off anyone complaining about us getting special treatment)

If you're planning to fly to Miami with BA on that date you may wish to reconsider - the twins are very active and have just learned shouting, the boy can fart for England

Return from Miami looks daunting - I had until now thought the rudest airline staff in the world were based in San Francisco.

I have warned BA about our impending flight but keep getting strange emails from a man who doesn't seem to read my questions....PCMU are quite helpful though but don't seem to communicate with the rest of the organisation

budgetflyer

*jobags* wrote: »

Can I be a bit thick and ask what a bulkhead seat is?

I'm flying to Miami on 22nd May with my 13 month old twins and terminally ill 5 year old son
Would a bulkhead seat be better? (wherever that is)

We've been told he should get a window seat as he needs Oxygen (we have to pay £100 each way for that - not complaining but just wanted to ward off anyone complaining about us getting special treatment)

If you're planning to fly to Miami with BA on that date you may wish to reconsider - the twins are very active and have just learned shouting, the boy can fart for England

Return from Miami looks daunting - I had until now thought the rudest airline staff in the world were based in San Francisco.

I have warned BA about our impending flight but keep getting strange emails from a man who doesn't seem to read my questions....PCMU are quite helpful though but don't seem to communicate with the rest of the organisation

In your case , you really need to phone them. EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS ARE !
In your situation, who would grudge you bulk head seats?
BUT-
Its up to you.
As you have said, you are willing to pay according to your needs- You must let them know.
This is where you actually need to speak to someone. Get them if neccessary , to email or write , confirming what you discussed.
Its a long trip, you have your hands full, so lets make it easy :beer:

Tojo_Ralph

dmg24 wrote: »

I wasn't allowed an exit row seat with Delta yesterday because I was on my own ... discrimination anyone?

I DEMAND an upgrade! :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

I wasn't allowed an Exit Row seat yesterday because I didn't speak Spanish. It hadn't occurred to me before that an ability to speak the lingo was a prerequisite for an Exit Row.

dmg24

Tojo_Ralph wrote: »

I wasn't allowed an Exit Row seat yesterday because I didn't speak Spanish. It hadn't occurred to me before that an ability to speak the lingo was a prerequisite for an Exit Row.

How bizarre - I heard the flight attendant asking those on the exit row if they spoke English, have never heard them do that before this week!

Next time I am going to grab someone in the queue so I am not alone - maybe you could take a translator with you? x

Tojo_Ralph

dmg24 wrote: »

How bizarre - I heard the flight attendant asking those on the exit row if they spoke English, have never heard them do that before this week!

I guess it makes perfect sense really and it was actually quite funny.

There I am sliding the FF card across the desk and requesting an exit row, the check in staff speak Spanish only, I'm trying to explain in Spanglish my needs, another member of staff comes across who speaks English, I explain to her that I am looking for an exit row and she asks..... "Can you speak Spanish"?.... At which point I was in no position to lie.

budgetflyer

This is not so bizarre as first thought. (GENERALLY )from my experience, first language spoken ie for safety info, is normally that of majority of passengers.
(Ironically, in most cases, this being a UK site + most folk fly from UK)
but there could be instances, ie lo cost flights back to Europe after football matches etc where the majority of passengers are Spanish , Italian etc where this could be a major consideration on a flight.

dmg24

Tojo_Ralph wrote: »

I guess it makes perfect sense really and it was actually quite funny.

There I am sliding the FF card across the desk and requesting an exit row, the check in staff speak Spanish only, I'm trying to explain in Spanglish my needs, another member of staff comes across who speaks English, I explain to her that I am looking for an exit row and she asks..... "Can you speak Spanish"?.... At which point I was in no position to lie.

The guy at check in (who had offered me the exit row, it was a woman that said no!) asked me if I was left handed ... it actually flicked through my mind that may affect my ability to open the door* ... but then I realised he was joking!




* As well as being incredibly blonde at times, I had spent the two hour car journey to the airport throwing up, so dizziness was excuseable!

Tojo_Ralph

dmg24 wrote: »

The guy at check in (who had offered me the exit row, it was a woman that said no!)

I am baffled as to why you would be denied an exit row travelling alone?

I travel alone 95% of the time and get exit rows whenever available..... i.e whenever I have checked in early enough at the airport and demonstrated the fact that I am able bodied.