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February 23, 2006

COURT ISSUES NOTICES TO SIX AIRLINES -Aqeel　Qureshi

Dear Everyone,

COURT ISSUES NOTICES TO SIX AIRLINES, ASKS AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF INDIA TO
LIST FACILITIES IN AIRPORT MODERNISATION PLAN

'Ensure wheelchairs are available in railway stations'
Express News Service

New Delhi, February 20: The Delhi High Court today came out with a set of
directives aimed at making air and rail travel hassle-free for the
physically challenged - ordering the Railways to ensure that wheelchairs
are available at all stations across the country and asking airlines to
list special provisions on their services.

Justices Vijender Jain and Rekha Sharma, hearing a PIL filed by the
Disabled Rights Group (DRG), said station masters "would be held
personally liable if they failed to provide wheelchairs for the benefit of
physically challenged persons".

The court also brought six private airlines under its scanner on the issue
after the Airports Authority of India (AAI) submitted that the provision
of special facilities on aircrafts is the responsibility of the airlines.
The court issued notices to Indian, Jet Airways, Sahara Airlines, Air
Deccan, SpiceJet and Kingfisher Airlines, seeking the provisions available
to the physically-challenged on their aircraft.
Not allowing AAI to wash its hands of the issue, the court directed it to
explain the facilities being created for the physically challenged in its
20-year modernisation plan for airports in the country. An affidavit will
be filed by the next date of hearing.

Similarly, the Railway Ministry too, has been directed to outline a
detailed report on disabled-friendly services ・special coaches, drinking
water and other amenities. It will be placed before the court within four
months.

The DRG's petition had alleged that there are no adequate access and
special facilities for the physically challenged in public areas/spaces,
despite Constitutional guarantees in this regard.

AAI: Providing wheelchairs responsibility of airlines
Asked about the facilities now available for the disabled at the airport,
B N Singh, Terminal Manager of the Airports Authority of India said, "It
is the responsibility of the airlines to provide wheelchairs to disabled
passengers. We do not keep any wheelchairs ourselves. However, we are
responsible for ensuring that the airlines provide these wheelchairs when
required. The airlines are permitted to charge for this service, though
only the low-cost carriers do. We also have ramps and toilets in place for
wheelchair users."

What the airlines say
SPICEJET The company charges an additional Rs 600 per ticket for disabled
passengers. But SpiceJet does not guarantee the availability of
wheelchairs, a booking official said. She said, "We have enough
wheelchairs for a normal day and in case of a problem, we can reach
arrangements for borrowing wheelchairs from other airlines. However, we
can not guarantee that a disabled person will be provided with a
wheelchair, if they haven't mentioned it in advance." Air Deccan According
to Air Deccan's website, a wheelchair user has to pay Rs 500 above the
cost of the ticket and the airline has to be notified at the time of
booking. And, if there are four bookings on a flight, then a fifth booking
is not allowed. A company spokesperson said that in case of group bookings
an "arrangement can be reached," adding, "It is very unusual to have five
people with wheelchairs all on one flight."

Other airlines including Kingfisher provide services like escorting the
wheelchair user to the parking lot and guiding them throughout the
check-in process.

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=170667

REGARDS,

Aqeel

Posted by jicafriends at February 23, 2006 03:12 PM

Comments

Posted by: carlos kaiser at March 2, 2006 08:25 PM

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