Airline bumps disabled traveler

[Guest guest]

Airline bumps disabled traveler

Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune

Salberg, who has muscular dystrophy, was

told she could not fly because of the ventilator and

other equipment she would need

Delta now says it was wrong to

refuse Twin Cities woman because

of medical equipment.

By LORA PABST1, Star Tribune

Last update: February 4, 2011 - 9:15 AM

While her nurses were stowing the 100

pounds of medical equipment she needs to

travel with, Salberg was given a

startling order: Get off the plane.

Salberg, who has muscular dystrophy, was

never told why she couldn't use the

ventilator she requires to breathe on the Jan.

13 flight that was supposed to carry her back

home to the Twin Cities from New Orleans. In

fact, just a month before the flight, Delta Air

Lines said her equipment met the company's

requirements.

" It was humiliating, it was upsetting, it was

embarrassing, " said Salberg, 33. " We just did

what we were told. We didn't really have

much of a choice. "

Salberg's story illustrates the confusing

landscape of federal regulations and airline

policies that confront people with disabilities

when they travel. The Air r Access Act,

established in 1986, prohibits discrimination

against someone with disabilities during air

travel, provided any necessary medical

equipment is approved according to in-flight

rules. But disabled travelers are increasingly

complaining about their rights being violated.

In 2009, disabled passengers filed 17,068

complaints against airlines, up 22 percent f

rom the previous year, according to the U.S.

Department of Transportation. In 178 cases,

airlines refused to let disabled passengers

board a plane, according to complaint data.

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Recent changes to the federal rules governing

the travel of disabled persons have in some

cases misfired.

For instance, a 2009 rule was supposed to

simplify the process for determining which

medical equipment was approved for in-

flight use. Instead of forcing crew members

to inspect devices to see if they met various

criteria, each approved item would come with

a sticker showing it met FAA requirements.

But the federal government never authorized

anyone to make the stickers, so a traveler

like Salberg with approved equipment has to

prove repeatedly that it meets regulations.

" They made this rule to make it easier, " said

Luber, a Milwaukee man who was

unable to fly in May 2009 because of his

ventilator. " The problem is ... they don't have

stickers and it's been a year and a half. "

Luber said it's been frustrating that the issue

wasn't dealt with earlier, but " we're a

minority. Who's going to pay attention to the

one in a million flying with a ventilator? "

In April, the U.S. Department of

Transportation plans to revisit the rules and

is considering eliminating the labeling

requirement.

'Confusion and fear'

Salberg waited years to be able to travel

because the equipment she needs to breathe

wasn't portable. Since 2005, she has taken

cruises and gone to Mexico.

" It's a lot of work and a lot of planning and

getting on and off the plane is pretty much

the worst part of a trip, " said Salberg, a board

member for Access Press, a community

newspaper for the disabled. " But it's worth

it. "

While planning her trip to New Orleans to

visit a friend, Salberg and her mother

contacted Delta to make sure they

understood the airline's rules for medical

equipment. Salberg also had a certificate of

compliance from the manufacturer.

Her flight to New Orleans went smoothly. She

even got a free upgrade to first class.

Salberg's problems began shortly before

takeoff on her return flight. As one of her

nurses lugged a 25-pound battery on board,

she was stopped and told that the pilot

needed to inspect it.

Salberg, who was already in her seat, said she

couldn't tell the flight crew she already had

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airline approval because she didn't have the

device she needs to speak. Crew members

were shown the compliance letter and told

Salberg had flown previously, but those

reassurances were brushed off.

" It's intimidating because they have the

authority to bump you off the flight and you

don't have the expertise to argue with them, "

Salberg said.

Instead of a direct flight -- which Salberg had

paid extra for -- her group was put on a

flight to Atlanta, delaying their arrival in

Minneapolis by about five hours. The delay

meant Salberg couldn't drink anything

because she isn't able to use a public

restroom.

" It's more than just an inconvenience, "

Salberg said. " It can be a matter of health

when they make decisions like that. "

Joan Headley, executive director of the

International Ventilator Users Network, said

one of the biggest problems passengers with

ventilators face is a lack of consistency in

how airline crews interpret the rules. In

Salberg's case, a company representative

said the mistake happened because the flight

crew was using manuals that were long out

of date.

" There's always confusion and fear, " Headley

said. " You don't know for sure what's going

to happen when you actually get to the gate. "

Salberg filed her complaint with Delta two

weeks ago, but she didn't hear back until this

week, after Whistleblower inquired about the

incident.

At first, Delta gave Salberg and her nurses

$50 flight vouchers. But on Thursday a Delta

representative told Salberg she would get a

full refund for all three tickets, which cost

$340 each, plus additional vouchers worth

$900.

" We are, of course, offering our apologies to

this customer and are thoroughly reviewing

how some isolated outdated information a

bout ventilators led to her inconvenience on

Jan. 13, " Delta said in a written statement.

" We are also working closely with our Delta

Connection carriers to ensure their

information about ventilators is also up to

date and communicated appropriately. "

A Delta spokesman said the company will

increase training and make sure all manuals

are updated. Delta expects similar action by i

ts regional partners -- including Compass

Airlines, which operated Salberg's flight.

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Salberg said she won't let this experience

stop her. High on her wish list: trips to San

Francisco and New York.

" It's going to take some time, but I'm going to

get there eventually, " Salberg said.

Lora Pabst . 612-673-4628

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