Hi Kiran Supplementing on what you have said, At Jet Air, at the time of booking a ticket, if all the seats marked for concession ticket was sold off, the passenger is wait listed. However, they say, if you pay full fare, you would get a confirmed ticket.
When such a situation arrose, I would book on Indian airlines and book a confirmed ticket. This restriction is not there with I.A. I can only guess when the seat gets confirmed in the last minute they may be taking the concessional fare. I have not run into that situation. By choice, I always prefer Indian Airlines and folks up there are very sweet with me as until now. Harish. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kaja, Kiran" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 11:52 AM Subject: Re: [AI] DGCA Guidelines for Blind passengers travelling by Air > Let me try to clarify this: > > Definitions: > > Discounted ticket: This is a ticket offered by the airlines to any > individual irrespective of their disability or any other condition to > attract more passengers to their airline. Discounted tickets may be of > various types and classes. The amount of discount available may depend > on the date of booking and the passenger load. > > Full fair: This is the full price that exists between a source and a > destination. > > Concessional fair: This fair is offered to persons with disabilities or > other catagories on the full fair and not on discounted fair. > > Having cleared up the terminology. Let me try to explain the current > situation. > > 1. Before the airlines introduced discounted fairs, there were only the > full fair which was paid by most passengers and the concessional fair > which is paid by disabled passenger. > 2. Some airlines like Jet Airways had a restriction on the number of > concessional tickets they were willing to offer on their flights. So, if > the flight is almost booked, the passengers who were requesting > concessional tickets were put on waitlist status. This never happened to > me but I have seen it happen to others. Indian Airlines did not have any > such restriction on their flights as far as I know. Even in case of Jet > Airways, the fact cannot be proved because unlike with Indian Airlines, > Jet Airways does not give you a waitlist number and the booking status > of a flight is not public. > 3. The number of discounted fair tickets is determined by the airlines > based on a number of factors including, passenger load on that day, > competition in the sector and other factors. These fairs may change > dynamically as airlines try to maximise their returns. In the category > of discounted fairs, there is no question of concessional fair and as a > result there will be no restriction on the number of tickets that blind > persons can book on these discounted tickets. > 4. If there are 25 disabled persons travelling on a flight and only 20 > discounted tickets are available, the remaining 5 passengers can > definitely book concessional fair tickets. There is no restriction as > such except as mentioned in point number 2 above. > > These days, more often than not, the discounted fair is less than the > concessional fair. As a result, I don't see any point in asking airlines > to lift the restriction on the fixed number of concessional tickets. > > There is no doubt that the concession for an escort will be grosely > misused. If I am travelling with my wife (just for example, I am still > single), and there is 50% concession for a blind passenger and an > escort, I would definitely use the provision inspite of the fact that 1, > I can very well travel alone or both of us could travel by train and 2, > I have the financial means to pay for a full fair or discounted fair for > my wife. > > Again, with the discounted fair policy, the concessional fair ticket > even for an escort may prove a provision not used much. > > One more point I would like to add is the fact that the services > provided to persons with disabilities by low cost airlines is almost non > existent in some airports. It should be made mandatory for airlines to > have staff to assist blind persons in boarding the aircraft and so on. > This is more so in sectors where only low cost airlines operate. > Alternatively, these services can be taken up by the airport authorities > because 1, they will have enough staff and 2, we as passengers also pay > airport taxes and so the airports do earn some revenue. This happens in > Dubai where the airport itself is responsible for the services offered > to disabled passengers. > > Regards, > Kiran. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of disability > rights initiative > Sent: Wednesday, 09 August 2006 11:10 AM > To: accessindia@accessindia.org.in > Subject: Re: [AI] DGCA Guidelines for Blind passengers travelling by Air > > dear rakesh, harish, kiran, manish, rajesh and subramani, > i am taking the liberty to write to all of you and others on the matter > of > concessional/ discounted tickets to seek some clarifications. to my > knowledge, during the times of normal fares, concessional tickets were > offered to pwds irrespective of the fact of how many pwds travelled on > the > flight and was given purely on the grounds of disability. check me if i > am > wrong. in recent times discounted tickets are offered to persons other > than > pwds on a certain number of seats per flight. this is a business > practise > to get as many persons to use the particular airline and has nothing to > do > with disability. so i assume if there are 20 discounted tickets > available on > a particular flight and 25 pwds travelling, only 20 might get discounted > tickets and the other 5 will have to travel on normal fares , or would > these > five then be entitled to concessional tickets? if the former is correct > then this logic and practise is discriminatory and needs to be > addressed. > in which case what we need to counter is that irrespective of number of > discounted seats in a flight pwds should at all times be given > discounted > tickets using the logic that if the tickets were not discounted pwds > would > in any case have got a concessional ticket. also most of us in the list > feel > that it would not be correct to ask for discounted/ concessional tickets > for > escorts and the airlines need to provide facilities to offset the same. > can > i have your feedback by today evening as we are to place our suggestions > by > tomorrow. > thanks > rajive----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dr Rakesh Jain" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> > Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 12:18 AM > Subject: Re: [AI] DGCA Guidelines for Blind passengers travelling by Air > > >> Dear Friends, I think the whole issue of concession is getting > confused. > The >> discounted or concessional tickets for blind passengers a class apart >> altogether with all airlines. That is, there are limited number of > seats > on >> each flight. What we require is that even if there is one seat > available > in >> the flight, we must get a confirmed seat. The airlines should not deny > us >> the concessional seats if that particular class is full. Suppose, > there > are >> ten or twenty or maybe two blind passengers who want to fly on a > flight, >> according to the present system, all the blind passengers with not get > a >> confirmed seat if the low fair seats are full. Concession is not an > issue, >> the issue is availability of concessional ticket to blind passengers > to > the >> last available seat on a given flight. Please give your suggestions. >> >> Dr. Rakesh Jain >> Mobile (Reliance): 09336787900 >> Mobile (BSNL): 09415787900 >> Residence: 05224001112 and 05222732345 >> Skype ID: dr.rjain >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Harish" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 9:01 PM >> Subject: Re: [AI] DGCA Guidelines for Blind passengers travelling by > Air >> >> >> > Hi Rajiv >> > >> > Since the advent of the low cost airline concept, the airlines are > running >> > in shoe string budget. Asking for a furthur discount would not carry > us >> > anywhere. makes more sense asking for fascilities. >> > Let me illustrate an incident, A full fare between Bangalore to > Hyderabad >> > last year was arround Rs. 5,000, the discount ticket using > concession >> > would >> > come to arround Rs. 2,500. However the reduced fare without > concession >> > came >> > to Rs. 1,200. Can you expect to get any furthur discount? >> > Harish. >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: "disability rights initiative" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> >> > Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 4:22 PM >> > Subject: Re: [AI] DGCA Guidelines for Blind passengers travelling by > Air >> > >> > >> >> i have been following this topic with interest and frankly, i > admire > all >> >> of >> >> you guys who travel around so confidently without any escorts. but >> >> personally, being late blind myself, i am mortally scared of > travellling >> >> alone. its not the fear of travelling but the fear of falling of > steps, >> >> escalators, railway platforms and the like and strongly feel that > for >> >> air >> >> travel also escorts should be allowed on discounted tickets like > in > the >> >> railways. i am sure there are quite a few of us who have to travel > and >> >> are >> >> late blind and a little late in life to overcome the fear. it > would be > a >> >> good idea to encourage views from across the list so as to enable > us to >> >> have >> >> a clearer picture. prasana pinchas case and also rajiv rajans > case >> >> (locomotor disabled with cerebral palsy who was forcibly medicated > at >> >> chennai for being mistaken for a mentally ill person) filed by hrln > has >> >> resulted in these guidelines being framed by dgca and ccpd has > sought > our >> >> interventions on these guidelines so i will really appreciate a > more >> >> vigorous expression of views on this topic. and if quite a few of > us > feel >> >> that escorts should also be allowed on discounted tickets i feel > there > is >> >> no >> >> harm in expressing the same. if airlines are offering so many > tickets > on >> >> discounted fares one more for an escort will hardly matter but this > is > my >> >> personal opinion. >> >> regards >> >> rajive >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> From: "Kaja, Kiran" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> To: <accessindia@accessindia.org.in> >> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 08, 2006 2:12 PM >> >> Subject: Re: [AI] DGCA Guidelines for Blind passengers travelling > by > Air >> >> >> >> >> >>> I get a feeling that you want to argue for argument sake and do > not >> >>> want to look at the practical issues and repurcations of your > arguments. >> >>> If you cannot travel alone in a flight inspite of the fact that > the >> >>> airport authorities and airline staff take good care of you, I am > sorry >> >>> to say but you better not travel anywhere. Railways do not provide > any >> >>> sort of help and so they allow for an escort. This is totally >> >>> impractical and unfair when it comes to airlines. If you do not > want > to >> >>> travel alone, you are always free to take the train. >> >>> >> >>> Secondly, I really don't understand why do people make so much > fuss >> >>> about seating. There is no way and it is totally unsafe for any > sort > of >> >>> disabled person to be seated near the emergency exits. And if the > staff >> >>> decides that they can help you better by seating you at a > particular >> >>> place, what is the big deal? They can ask anyone to change seats > and > not >> >>> just blind persons. >> >>> >> >>> Regards, >> >>> Kiran. >> >>> -----Original Message----- >> >>> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of >> >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>> Sent: Tuesday, 08 August 2006 2:02 PM >> >>> To: ACCESSINDIA@accessindia.org.in >> >>> Subject: [AI] DGCA Guidelines for Blind passengers travelling by > Air >> >>> >> >>> Of dear, Let us leave somethings for the nodal agencies to take > care. >> >>> We >> >>> require an escort to assist us during the travel. & we want a >> >>> concessional >> >>> ticket for an escort. We do not need an escort if Govt. could do > that >> >>> for >> >>> us. Let the checking authority take care of verify the veracity > of a >> >>> true >> >>> escort or a 'business associate'??? We are aware of this fraud is >> >>> enough to >> >>> know our responsibilities. But facilities could never be denied > upon >> >>> apprehensions. >> >>> >> >>> Seating a blind person at the rear or front-should it be an issue? > Why >> >>> should a blind person be discriminated to get allotted a > particular >> >>> seat?? >> >>> Let the crew know where the person is requiring special attention. >> >>> >> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >>> >> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other > changes, >> >>> please visit the list home page at >> >>> >> >>> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i >> >>> n >> >>> >> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >>> >> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other > changes, >> >> please visit the list home page at >> >>> >> >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n >> >>> >> >>> >> >>> -- >> >>> No virus found in this incoming message. >> >>> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> >>> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.7/410 - Release Date: > 8/5/2006 >> >>> >> >>> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> No virus found in this outgoing message. >> >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> >> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.7/410 - Release Date: > 8/5/2006 >> >> >> >> >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other > changes, >> >> please visit the list home page at >> >> >> >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n >> >> >> > >> > >> > >> > To unsubscribe send a message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > with the subject unsubscribe. >> > >> > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other > changes, >> > please visit the list home page at >> > > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n >> > >> >> Send instant messages to your online friends > http://in.messenger.yahoo.com >> >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at >> > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n >> >> >> -- >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.7/410 - Release Date: > 8/5/2006 >> > > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.7/410 - Release Date: 8/5/2006 > > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.i > n > > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. 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