American Airlines has announced that it is going to charge $15 extra to check a suitcase. You can't check even one suitcase without paying extra! I hope this is not going to be adopted by other airlines. It is discriminatory towards those of us who do not have the strength to carry or wheel our suitcase around the airport with us to carry it on the airplane. Besides that, the overhead bins are usually overcrowded already.

perhaps it is time to contact the disability services in your area - or
call an attorney?
http://www.callsam.com/disabled_flie..._airlines.html

for the UK citizens
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled...rip/DG_4018313


or google -these search words
airport discrimination for the disabled

Disabled Travelers File Lawsuit for Access to Airlines

Attorney Richard Bernstein Represents Disabled Fliers in Lawsuit Against Northwest Airlines and Airport Authority
New Federal Lawsuit Details History of Discrimination
Five disabled Metro Detroit residents are suing both Northwest Airlines and the Wayne County Airport Authority, in an effort to put an end to discrimination of disabled fliers who have been denied equal access to air travel and facilities, as required by law.

On April 14, 2008, attorney Richard Bernstein, of the Bernstein Law Firm in Farmington Hills, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Detroit, seeking an end to Northwest and the Airport Authority’s failure to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Air Carrier Act and the Rehabilitation Act.

In 2006, Bernstein reached an out-of-court agreement with both Northwest and the Airport Authority to protect disabled fliers’ rights. Both Northwest and the Airport Authority have failed to comply with that agreement.

The five plaintiffs filing the lawsuit are:

Deborah Thomas – a Detroit resident who is disabled due to childhood polio, has been forced to stand in line, when physically unable to do so.
Emma Daniels – a Detroit resident who is blind, has been denied use of check-in kiosks and has missed a flight while waiting excessively to receive assistance in traveling.
Martin Drouillard – a Roseville resident who uses a wheelchair due to quadriplegia, has been dropped to the floor due to improper assistance. Northwest Airlines handlers also damaged his wheelchair.
James Keskeny – a Pinckney resident with muscular dystrophy, was tilted parallel to the floor as airport personnel wheeled him down the aisle of a plane. Northwest handlers also damaged his wheelchair.
Jill Babcock – a Farmington resident whose wheelchair incurred repeated damage on Northwest flights and was also given to another disabled passenger by mistake. She was denied accessible parking at Detroit Metro Airport.

http://www.callsam.com/disabled_flie..._airlines.html

ada.org

Disabled group sues airport

Roseville man sues airline, seeks improvements for travelers
By Jameson Cook
Macomb Daily Staff Writer

A Roseville man is a plaintiff in a lawsuit against a major airline and the authority that operates Detroit Metropolitan Airport that his lawyer says could have nationwide ramifications.
Martin Drouillard, 61, is one of five disabled people who in April sued Northwest Airlines Inc. and the Wayne County Airport Authority in federal court in Detroit, claiming both entities have violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws requiring them to provide adequate accommodations for those with disabilities.

"When you talk about civil rights, that includes talking about rights for people with disabilities, the right to travel and go places," said attorney Richard Bernstein. "This case will affect airports across the country. A systematic and epidemic problem exists in the airline industry. ... It'll only get better when they are forced to (make changes)."

He said potential precedents set in this case could help able-bodied air travelers in areas such as safety, cancellations and lost luggage.

The plaintiffs seek improvements in procedures and accommodations for the disabled.

Among the many complaints in the lawsuit are lack of boarding assistance, special seating, stowage for wheelchairs, accessible bathrooms, transportation to and from parking areas, litter areas for service animals such as seeing-eye dogs, and "ticket kiosks and in-flight entertainment devices" for the blind.

In addition, NWA charges the disabled higher, make service counters too tall, damage wheelchairs and other equipment, and force disabled people to wait in line for long periods.

"Defendants treat them as second-class citizens, and unjustly disregard their basic rights to equality and dignity, and cause embarrassment, humiliation, harassment and emotional distress," the lawsuit says.

Man dropped

Drouillard, a wheelchair user, said in an interview with The Macomb Daily he was dropped from a special chair inside the airplane last October because an employee failed to strap him in, and was denied a special seat in 2005 even though he was told one would be made available and a woman indicated she would give up the special seat.

Drouillard said the airline is "inconsistent" in providing special accommodations for the disabled, as it is required to do.

Bernstein noted the plaintiffs are not seeking monetary damages, only that the airline and authority comply with special accommodations they must provide by law at the Romulus airport to those with disabilities. He accused Northwest of violating a 2002 settlement between Northwest and the U.S. Dept. of Transportation over air travelers with disabilities. NWA paid a $700,000 civil penalty and agreed to conform to ACAA and DOT regulations.

Northwest officials could not be reached for comment Friday, but have filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

NWA responds

NWA contends in the legal brief the plaintiffs should not even be able to sue the airline. NWA argues that many of the allegations don't apply to NWA; the court does not have jurisdiction over the Air Carrier Access Act, under which some claims are made; and the ADA and Rehabilitation Act, under which allegations are made, do not apply to "airline carriers."

"Plaintiffs make several claims that are contrary to actual facts," says the legal brief penned by attorney Tiffany Buckley. "Plaintiffs made allegations against NWA that actually relate to other entities, such as the Transportation Security Administration and the Wayne County Airport Authority."

NWA says private parties cannot sue to enforce the regulations; that falls with governmental agencies.

Bernstein said two years ago he met with authority officials about
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rest of the story
link
http://www.macombdaily.com/cgi-bin/printme.pl

Well, I don't usually fly American and I won't start now. I usually fly Southwest or AirTran to visit my daughter and granddaughter. If they adopt this policy, then I will complain.

As the spouse of a recently retired airline pilot, I am in total agreement that this new policy of charging for baggage is going to cause all sorts of problems for disabled passengers. along with other groups. I cannot put my bag in the overhead bin and check my bag. While I don't pay for tickets, I do however, have to pay this surcharge for extra bags. I think it's discriminatory and ludicrous.

When our airline filed for BK, management didn't suffer one bit. We lost over half our retirement and also had to cancel our health insurance b/c we could not longer afford it. Thank goodness we had military health insurance to fall back on otherwise I don't know what we would have done...but I digress.

I realize that fuel costs have soared, but let's get real here. Management is NOT tightening their belts enough.

Groups are already calling for passengers to carry on their bags and take their time stowing them in order to cause AA to be late leaving the gate. This will get their attention. The bags are still on the plane so no weight is being changed and they won't be getting any additional revenue.

In addition, those people who CAN afford to pay the additional fees, the first class, business class, frequent fliers, etc, are not being charged this fee for their bags. It's the families, the regular middle class traveler who is scaping together the money for this flight who is being dinged the money for that bag. Not fair...not fair at all!