Hello Rakesh Indian airlines does not discriminate on this issue. If a seat is available, then they will give you discount confirmed seat. However, that is not the case with Jet Air. They have a quota of concessional seats and keep you wait listed. Again, it is a matter of economics. Some other airlines don't offer any concession at all.
In my opinion, DGCA guidelines cannot fall on the ticket fares and concessions or any package offered by the airlines. It is frevelous on our part to make any recommendations on it. 1) What we should insist upon is that no airlines can deplane or deny ticket to a blind person who are not escorted. 2) Permission to carry guide dogs without extra cost. 3) To provide wheel chair to the physically disabled without extra cost. Personally I feel it is a non issue regarding the seating preference made by airlines for operational reasons. Let me site an incident which apparently looks discriminatory. I was once flying with my wife and 2 infants on arm. After I boarded, the air hostess came up to us and asked us to sit on either different rows or on another wing. I thought it was ridiculous and obliged unwillingly, after she kept insisting there was some rule to that effect. Much later, I narated that incident to another hostess who was very friendly. She explained the reason for that rule. In each section, eg. a lot of 3 seats, there are 4 oxygen ducts. If there are more than 1 infant in arm, during an emergency there will be a short fall of the oxygen duct. Merely rearranging the seating the problem is solved. By and large when a rule is made, there is a definite purpose for it. We may not readily understand it. It is my guess that, Jet air may be training the crew to first go and attend passengers in the last row first during an emergency. Indian airlines, prefers to seat disabled passengers in the first row. It is in our interest not to disturb this. Harish ----- 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.in >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> 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.in >>> >> >> >> >> 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 >> > > 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.in > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. 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