Airlines and assistive devices

[Guest guest]

This was sent to me and I thought you all may want to read this.

 

Subject: FW: Airlines and

assistive devices

 

This comes courtesy of Redmon, RN, newest member of the

Disability Task Force.

Reid

______________________________________________

From:   Redmon, J 

Sent:   Friday, September 26, 2008 11:11 AM

To:     DL DEMO00 BSCIP -

All Staff; 'Steve Howells'; Jaffe, Reid

Cc:     'Debbie s'

Subject:       

Airlines

and assistive devices

Interesting information in the FSCIRC Email….

Assistive

Devices are NOT Excess Baggage

This comes courtesy of Maureen McCloskey, National Advocacy Director, Paralyzed

Veterans of America

PVA has received numerous inquiries about airlines applying the new charges for

a second checked bag to medical equipment or assistive devices. While this

specific

situation was not anticipated by nor addressed in the Air r Access Act

(ACAA) regulations, similar regulations provide guidance.

The ACAA

regulations state that assistive devices which cannot be carried on board must

receive priority stowage as checked baggage. Airlines may not charge for

services required by the law to be provided to qualified individuals with a

disability, therefore assistive devices should not be considered checked

baggage and no charge should be applied.

Assistive

devices are defined by Department of Transportation (DOT) as: “Any piece

of equipment that assists a passenger with a disability in carrying out a major

life activity. Assistive devices are those devices or equipment used to assist

a passenger with a disability in caring for himself or herself, performing

manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working,

or performing other functions of daily life. Assistive devices may include

medical devices, medications, and bags or cases used to carry them.”

Assistive

devices may include shower chairs, hoyer lifts, cushions, mattress pads and

medical supplies. Supplemental chairs, e.g., sports wheelchairs, would not be

considered assistive devices for this purpose and charges may be applied.

DOT’s

Aviation Consumer Protection Department also advises: “This does not mean

that a passenger can put a small assistive device into either a carry-on or

checked bag in an attempt at circumventing the normally applicable number

limits for either type of item. In other words, the passenger would need to

carry-on only the assistive device or check only the assistive device, as

opposed to placing such an assistive device in a bag otherwise filled with

non-assistive items.”

Best

advice –

plan ahead, carry what you can on board, and if you run into any trouble, ask

to speak with the airline’s Complaints Resolution Officer, or CRO. These

CROs are authorized to make a decision on behalf of the airline, and are

familiar with the requirements of the ACAA.

FLY RIGHTS

- A Consumer Guide to Air Travel - PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES - information

for air travelers with disabilities, produced by the US Department of

Transportation, Aviation Consumer Protection Division. Download a copy at

http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/flyrights.htm#pass

J. Redmon, RN, CCM, CRRN, MPH

Florida Department of Health

Children's Medical Services

4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A06

Tallahassee, FL 32399-1707

Ph: (850) 245-4200, ext. 2246

Fax: (850) 488-3813

E-mail: _Redmon@...

CMS Network Mission:  Champion

excellence in the delivery of health care to children with special needs

through a comprehensive system of care.  For information regarding CMS

please visit our website at: http://www.doh.state.fl.us/cms/index.html

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