Disabled-Friendly Airlines?

[Groot]

Just got back from our vacation and it was good, until we had to go back home. When we got to Orlando International, the TSA line for the disabled was a pain to find (luckily, a worker led us to the right lane, which is much shorter than the regular line, which, for me being in a walker and having a VERY SHORT walking distance/standing time, was a godsend, not to mention that I was getting over a cold thanks to the COLD FLORIDA WEATHER.) Unfortunately, by the time we were done with TSA and hopped the tram over to our gate to our flight, the plane was already boarding.

We had requested for preboarding because of my inability to stand in a long line and we told one of the gate agents this and even showed them our tickets AND boarding passes that said “Preboarding REQUESTED” on it, but all they said was to wait in the line. Well, by the time we got to the front, I was tired from standing (Couldn’t sit down on my walker, because the line was ever moving.), they let us board and I left my walker at the plane door so that they could load it into the cargo area and my mom helped me to our seats.

Well, just before the plane left, one of the stewardesses came over and told us that the pilot didn’t want us on the plane because some OTHER PEOPLE complained about me coughing and sneezing (Well, I was getting over a cold at the time and took my antibiotics, what more could I have done?) and they decided to kick us off the flight.

My mom was furious and told them “Really? You’re gonna kick a disabled person off of the plane because she has a cold that she’s trying to get rid of?!?!” The flight attendant didn’t give us a response before we got up and left.

When we got off the plane, we were expecting our luggage and my walker. (which had my cane in the basket.) The same flight attendant told us that they “Didn’t have enough time to get our belongings off of the plane.”

Things got worse when we made it back to the terminal (I had no other choice but to hold onto my mom’s shoulder, which made our trek take even longer). Spirit (the airline who we’re now at ends with) told us that there were no OTHER FLIGHTS UNTIL TOMORROW and they wouldn’t even pay for a hotel room for the night, forcing us to sleep in the airport with nothing more than the clothes on our backs.

Thankfully, the next day came and we made it home. We’re currently planning our next trip, and the first thing that we decided on was that no matter what, we WILL NOT be flying Spirit because of how they treated us.

My question to you guys is which airline treats the disabled population with dignity and respect and does not discriminate against them?

 

[AnneK]

Spirit in general is just a terrible airline. It's budget friendly and that's about it. We always fly Southwest when we can, have always had fantastic service and are very helpful.

Were you wearing a facemask to protect others from germs? If not I would suggest doing so, I think a lot of people right now are scared of getting the flu since it can get some people very seriously ill.

 

[Groot]

Yeah I was. I even had my coat covering my mouth as an added measure.

 

[kaytieeldr]

not to mention that I was getting over a cold thanks to the COLD FLORIDA WEATHER.)

Just general information, colds aren't transmitted or caught due to cold weather (or rain, or going out with wet hair...)

We had requested for preboarding because of my inability to stand in a long line and we told one of the gate agents this and even showed them our tickets AND boarding passes that said “Preboarding REQUESTED” on it, but all they said was to wait in the line.

But through no fault of the airline, you didn't arrive at the gate until the plane was already boarding. I've never experienced any airline stopping in the middle to allow late prepared to board. Plus, Spirit may well adhere to the Disney definition of "request", i.e. sure if possible.

Well, just before the plane left, one of the stewardesses came over and told us that the pilot didn’t want us on the plane because some OTHER PEOPLE complained about me coughing and sneezing (Well, I was getting over a cold at the time and took my antibiotics, what more could I have done?) and they decided to kick us off the flight.

If it ever happens again on any airline, respectfully request the presence of the Complaint Resolution Officer before leaving the plane - or at least insist on the return of your mobility device and don't leave until they get it for you.

 

[Hoodie]

Ugh, that sucks. Spirit isn't really known for dealing with issues well. However, arriving late for pre-board doesn't mean you get to jump in front of the line at that point. At that point, your best option was probably just waiting to be the last on board, so you could sit until they were ready for you.

Unfortunately anyone can be kicked off a flight at crew discretion. It was not discrimination as your disability wasn't the reason you were removed, your illness was. Also, you have no idea who else was on that flight and what their situation was. You could have had immuno-compromised passengers on the plane and while they are certainly taking precautions against airborne illnesses, someone who is visibly sick could make them even more uncomfortable. your active cold/flu could have been deadly to someone on board. You just don't know.

I cannot believe they wouldn't remove your personal items, at least your walker and cane. That is ridiculous. And they should have worked more with you to make sure you could get out as soon as possible and were comfortable doing it. That is horrible.

 

[Pooh2]

Oh, my! What a horrible way to end your vacation!
After reading many reviews of Spirit and Allegiant, we pay more for Jet Blue and Delta.
We always purchase the More Legroom seats which gives you boarding earlier in the process and time to get settled in.
We purchased TSA precheck due to the consistently long lines in Orlando, that helps pre-flight anxiety and we are through within minutes.
Hope your next flight goes much smoother!

 

[lanejudy]

I haven't heard anything good about Spirit. Sorry you had a bad experience.

As to your walker -- I think Spirit really goofed on that one. I would have remained in my seat until they provided my mobility device, or at least a wheelchair to use instead. That is unacceptable to expect someone to walk who needs assistance.

What time did you arrive at the airport, how soon before your flight? MCO can be absolute chaos trying to get through TSA, and if you wanted to be at the gate early for pre-boarding, I probably would have planned to arrive at the airport more than the recommended 2 hours ahead of flight time. If you came by DME, you could have requested an earlier pick-up. Also, in the future, you can request passenger assistance (wheelchair) from the airline. That service may also help to get you through TSA a little quicker, though no guarantee; I'm not sure there is always a "disabled" screening line. Arriving at the gate after boarding had begun negated your "pre-board request" because it was no longer an option. You have to arrive at the gate well before boarding begins to be sure that would occur.

As for your cold...it sounds like you were pretty sick. Colds can be miserable and just for the record, antibiotics won't help a cold, I would have dosed up with a good OTC remedy to relieve cold symptoms instead of antibiotics. I have fairly frequent issues with my sinuses, and one time it became intolerable during the flight and made me sick to my stomach -- worst flight ever -- I now take sinus meds for a couple of days prior to any flight. Unfortunately, yes, the flight crew can remove a passenger regardless of what's available for next flight status. Did you have any travel insurance? That should have helped to cover an unexpected overnight stay due to illness, as well as meals and possibly even a change of clothes.

I would argue with Spirit over the issue of not providing your mobility device. Other than that, I don't think your experiences were directly caused by inappropriate actions by Spirit.

 

[robinb]

I agree with @Hoodie , you were responsible for getting to the gate in time for boarding. I know security is a PITB at MCO but you obviously didn't leave yourself enough time to get to your gate in time. There is a reason why DME leaves the resorts so early. I also agree that it would have been better to cool yours heels and wait for the crowd to clear if you already had assigned seating. As for your cold, I'm sorry to say but I know that I wouldn't want someone hacking up a lung on my flight either. I know that you were doing your best at getting better but I really don't blame the other passengers for not wanting to get sick from being stuck on a flying bus with someone who is coughing and sneezing excessively. https://traveltips.usatoday.com/airline-right-refuse-sick-passenger-109144.html

I agree with everyone that it was terrible that Spirit did not unload your personal belongings! I think that you have a completely valid complaint there. I'm a little surprised that you didn't keep your cane with you to help navigate the aisle. I wouldn't have trusted it to be in the basket of a walker that spent the time in the cargo hold in any case. I would follow up with them on that for sure!

 

[DisneyOma]

Just got back from our vacation and it was good, until we had to go back home. When we got to Orlando International, the TSA line for the disabled was a pain to find (luckily, a worker led us to the right lane, which is much shorter than the regular line, which, for me being in a walker and having a VERY SHORT walking distance/standing time, was a godsend, not to mention that I was getting over a cold thanks to the COLD FLORIDA WEATHER.) Unfortunately, by the time we were done with TSA and hopped the tram over to our gate to our flight, the plane was already boarding.

We had requested for preboarding because of my inability to stand in a long line and we told one of the gate agents this and even showed them our tickets AND boarding passes that said “Preboarding REQUESTED” on it, but all they said was to wait in the line. Well, by the time we got to the front, I was tired from standing (Couldn’t sit down on my walker, because the line was ever moving.), they let us board and I left my walker at the plane door so that they could load it into the cargo area and my mom helped me to our seats.

Well, just before the plane left, one of the stewardesses came over and told us that the pilot didn’t want us on the plane because some OTHER PEOPLE complained about me coughing and sneezing (Well, I was getting over a cold at the time and took my antibiotics, what more could I have done?) and they decided to kick us off the flight.

My mom was furious and told them “Really? You’re gonna kick a disabled person off of the plane because she has a cold that she’s trying to get rid of?!?!” The flight attendant didn’t give us a response before we got up and left.

When we got off the plane, we were expecting our luggage and my walker. (which had my cane in the basket.) The same flight attendant told us that they “Didn’t have enough time to get our belongings off of the plane.”

Things got worse when we made it back to the terminal (I had no other choice but to hold onto my mom’s shoulder, which made our trek take even longer). Spirit (the airline who we’re now at ends with) told us that there were no OTHER FLIGHTS UNTIL TOMORROW and they wouldn’t even pay for a hotel room for the night, forcing us to sleep in the airport with nothing more than the clothes on our backs.

Thankfully, the next day came and we made it home. We’re currently planning our next trip, and the first thing that we decided on was that no matter what, we WILL NOT be flying Spirit because of how they treated us.

My question to you guys is which airline treats the disabled population with dignity and respect and does not discriminate against them?

Spirit is the worst, but that's because it's cheap - you get what you pay for. We like JetBlue.

BTW, cold weather does not give you a cold. And antibiotics do nothing for a cold, since a cold is from a virus, and antibiotics work on bacteria. Taking an antibiotic for a cold actually makes the useful bacteria in your body die off, so it's harder to fight the virus. Don't go back to the doctor that gave you an antibiotic for a cold!

 

[Hopefully]

Or, perhaps, you actually have an infection for which you were prescribed antibiotics. Calling an infection a"cold" does not make it less contagious.

 

[Staren]

The budget airlines, Sprint, Frontier, etc, are not known for service in the best situation. They did mess up by not getting your mobility devices back to you. That one is on them. I am sorry this was such a bad experience. However I am going to agree with the previous posters that not getting there on time, that one was more your mistake. Live and learn. Everyone has to allow for delays in the process when flying. That’s especially true for those of us who may need more time or an accommodation to make it work. I always try to get to the gate an hour before boarding to allow time to check my wheelchair and go through whatever the preboard process is at the time.

As for the illness, I’ve got nothing to defend you there. If you’re that obviously sick, more than a few coughs or sneezes, that’s the captains call. It’s awful if you’re the one who has to deal with it, but it’s a judgment call I’d rather someone has the ability to make.

I always fly JetBlue if I have the choice, and they have been great.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

You need to accept responsibility for a few things. Obviously you were late getting to the airport and that is nobody else’s fault but your own. You arrived so late they were already boarding - why should others stop boarding because you made a mistake and didn’t allow enough to get through security and to the gate. That is on you.

Obviously it was more than a small cough and the sniffles for them to tell you that you couldn’t fly. If it had been one or two little coughs no biggie but for them to ask you to leave it had to be bad. How is it fair to anyone else for you to expose them to whatever you have? That is rude and inconsiderate. Maybe if you’d been there in time they woild have seen/heard how sick not allowed you to board. You don’t get a cold from cold weather -

Fault for your mobility devices is on airline. They should have gotten it for you, but why didn’t you request a wheelchair when leaving gate (or did I miss that).

In no way shape or form were you discriminated against. That is a huge thing to allege. Everything that goes wrong isn’t someone else’s fault. We all need to be responsible for our mistakes!

 

[Simba's Mom]

If the flight was already boarding, it would be sort of impossible to pre-board. However, this happened to me on Southwest (very tight connection). By the way, Southwest has always (except once) treated me VERY well. When it happened on Southwest (flight already boarding), they just stopped everyone in line and took me straight to the plane. And one time I couldn't walk AT ALL (just fractured my pelvis days beforehand) so they PRE-PRE-boarded me (yup, there's such a thing as going even before the pre-boards. Of about 8 Southwest flights, the only time I had a problem was when I missed my flight connection due to weather, and I had to stay overnight. Weather had caused many flights to be cancelled/delayed. They told me all the hotels were booked, although DH got me one. Their suggestion for a lady in a wheelchair was to stay on a couch in a restaurant. The wheelchair wouldn't be with me, so they didn't know how I'd get to the restroom at night.
Despite that one glitch, I swear by Southwest for disabled assistance.

 

[ttintagel]

That's terrible! My immune system is terrible, and I've gotten sick after sitting next to sick people in planes, and I would never DREAM of demanding the other person be removed! I wear a mask and gloves and wipe down the surfaces I touch, because that's just the cost of traveling with my particular condition. I'm so sorry that happened, and I don't think I'll use that airline if it's ever an option!

OTOH, I also would never count on getting through a huge airport like MCO in a timely manner without requesting wheelchair assistance, even though I don't need a wheelchair in my everyday life. I think last time I tipped the skycap $20, but he probably deserved way more than that for how quick and easy he made the whole process.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

That's terrible! My immune system is terrible, and I've gotten sick after sitting next to sick people in planes, and I would never DREAM of demanding the other person be removed! I wear a mask and gloves and wipe down the surfaces I touch, because that's just the cost of traveling with my particular condition. I'm so sorry that happened, and I don't think I'll use that airline if it's ever an option!.

No passenger demanded she get off- the captain told her she was too sick to be on the plane. Obviously he/she felt the poster was too ill to fly. In original post the OP never said a mask was on - only after asked did they say one was on.

 

[kaytieeldr]

No passenger demanded she get off- the captain told her she was too sick to be on the plane. Obviously he/she felt the poster was too ill to fly. In original post the OP never said a mask was on - only after asked did they say one was on.

Yeah. She said "other people", but that could have just as easily been someone on the flight crew.

 

[SueM in MN]

I’m going to close this thread after a summary because everything that needs to be said has been said.

1) People don’t get cold from cold weather, getting too cold, getting rained on when it’s cold or any other weather related reasons.

2) Colds are caused by viruses and are spread by exposure to someone who has a cold.
Someone who has a cold and is coughing or sneezing can spread cold viruses to people who are nearby (this means within 3-6 feet). Colds can also be caught be touching something contaminated with cold viruses - that could be something someone coughed or sneezed on OR touched with cold germs on their hands.

3) Colds are caused by viruses. Antibiotics work against bacteria. Antibiotics don’t do anything against viruses.

4) Pre-boarding is only before the plane starts the boarding process. Once boarding has begun, there are only 2 choices: wait in line and board along with other passengers OR sit down and wait until the other passengers have boarded to avoid standing so long.

5) You were sent off the plane because you were coughing and sneezing.
That would make other passengers worried that they could catch something from you, especially since many people would be within 3 to 6 feet of you during the flight.
Airlines do have the right to refuse service to passengers who appear sick and might spread illness to other passengers. Flight attendants are required to let the Captain know if a passenger appears ill; the Captain is the final decision maker.
That’s not discrimination; it’s protecting the other passengers from illness. Your disability had nothing to do with it and it could happen on any airline.

6) It’s unfortunate that your walker and cane were not returned to you when you were sent off the flight.
Since they were gate checked, they would be among the last things to be loaded. If the door to the baggage compartment was already closed and locked, they may not have been to get them out.

For future reference, canes should be brought on the flight and put into the overhead compartment- they are too easy to loose in the baggage compartment (easily fall out of a walker basket). You may want to ask in the future whether your walker can be brought into the cabin with you. Some planes have closets and some walkers will fold small enough to fit in an overhead bin.