US kicks off blind guy; rest of passengers show support

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/15/passengers-protest-after-blind-man-with-guide-dog-kicked-off-plane/
 
A US Airways Express flight from Philadelphia to Long Island was canceled Wednesday night after passengers rallied behind a blind man who was removed from the flight after his service dog became restless. 
Albert Rizzi said the argument began when a crew member told him to put his service dog under the seat in front of him ... ... ...
Rizzi, who is legally blind, told MyFoxTwinCities.com that the flight attendant became aggressive after noticing his service dog, Doxy, laying in the aisle. He said the dog became restless after 45 minutes on the tarmac.
Flight attendants described the dog as agitated and expressed concern that Rizzi was not controlling it, airline spokeswoman Liz Landau told The Associated Press.
Rizzi became verbally abusive, and the crew decided to remove him, Landau said.
That decision caused some of the other 33 travelers to become upset, she said, and the flight was canceled.
US Airways then arranged for a bus to drive passengers to Long Island. 
One passenger told MyFoxTwinCities.com that he was so concerned about Rizzi that even before the protest took place, he was ready to offer to get off the plane, rent a car and drive Rizzi and Doxy to New York.  
Fellow passenger Frank Ohlhorst told WPVI-TV, which first reported the encounter, that Rizzi wasn't being disruptive. 
"We were like, 'Why is this happening? He's not a problem. What is going on?'" said Ohlhorst.
 

 

[nycbusdriver]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/15/passengers-protest-after-blind-man-with-guide-dog-kicked-off-plane/
 
A US Airways Express flight from Philadelphia to Long Island was canceled Wednesday night after passengers rallied behind a blind man who was removed from the flight after his service dog became restless. 
Albert Rizzi said the argument began when a crew member told him to put his service dog under the seat in front of him ... ... ...
Rizzi, who is legally blind, told MyFoxTwinCities.com that the flight attendant became aggressive after noticing his service dog, Doxy, laying in the aisle. He said the dog became restless after 45 minutes on the tarmac.
Flight attendants described the dog as agitated and expressed concern that Rizzi was not controlling it, airline spokeswoman Liz Landau told The Associated Press.
Rizzi became verbally abusive, and the crew decided to remove him, Landau said.
That decision caused some of the other 33 travelers to become upset, she said, and the flight was canceled.
US Airways then arranged for a bus to drive passengers to Long Island. 
One passenger told MyFoxTwinCities.com that he was so concerned about Rizzi that even before the protest took place, he was ready to offer to get off the plane, rent a car and drive Rizzi and Doxy to New York.  
Fellow passenger Frank Ohlhorst told WPVI-TV, which first reported the encounter, that Rizzi wasn't being disruptive. 
"We were like, 'Why is this happening? He's not a problem. What is going on?'" said Ohlhorst.
 

 
Properly trained service dogs don't "become agitated" and always do exactly as they are told by their owner.  The vetting and training process for these canines is extremely tilted toward dogs who show consistent self-discipline in all circumstances.  
 
The FARs do not permit the dog to stay in the aisle, no matter WHAT the passengers think.  In an airplane cabin, the inmates do NOT get to run the asylum.  Just because the dog might have been laying quietly in the aisle does not make it okay.

 

[A320 Driver]

 
Properly trained service dogs don't "become agitated" and always do exactly as they are told by their owner.  The vetting and training process for these canines is extremely tilted toward dogs who show consistent self-discipline in all circumstances.  
 
The FARs do not permit the dog to stay in the aisle, no matter WHAT the passengers think.  In an airplane cabin, the inmates do NOT get to run the asylum.  Just because the dog might have been laying quietly in the aisle does not make it okay.

Well said Sir.

 

[signals]

Properly trained service dogs don't "become agitated" and always do exactly as they are told by their owner.  The vetting and training process for these canines is extremely tilted toward dogs who show consistent self-discipline in all circumstances.  
 
The FARs do not permit the dog to stay in the aisle, no matter WHAT the passengers think.  In an airplane cabin, the inmates do NOT get to run the asylum.  Just because the dog might have been laying quietly in the aisle does not make it okay.

I have to tell you, when I first read the article, I thought it was a bad move on the crew. But since you enlightened me, and having known just what a-holes some passengers can be, I have to commend the crew for not letting the handicapped Paris Hilton let his dog become a tool.

You're right service dogs are prepared for anything, and one has to wonder if the guy pulled this drama on purpose.

 

[cynic]

The company response on Facebook was pretty harsh, I don't recall ever seeing a company throw down the gauntlet like that after an incident.

 

[traderjake]

You're right service dogs are prepared for anything, and one has to wonder if the guy pulled this drama on purpose.

 
It doesn't apply to this case but a lot of people claim their dogs are "service dogs" for emotional support so they don't have to put them in the cargo hold.

 

[nycbusdriver]

 
It doesn't apply to this case but a lot of people claim their dogs are "service dogs" for emotional support so they don't have to put them in the cargo hold.

 
"a lot of people claim their dogs are "service dogs" for emotional support"
 
.... or "service pigs."
 
I wonder if anyone has tried this tactic with a snake?  People keep pet snakes; can one claim it's for emotional support?
 
I wonder, if that dog had been a non-poisonous snake quietly laying in the aisle and not bothering anyone, if those passengers would have been nearly so supportive of the blind customer and his need for emotional support?

 

[john john]

Service animal –vs- emotional support animal are to difference types of clarification to be allowed. This policy and procedure has evolved into an everyday thing and is a hot button if challenge. Pilots in command should become alert since the buck stops there

 

[snapthis]

A Modern Pegasus: How One Little Horse Flew on Southwest Airlines

http://www.jaunted.com/story/2012/6/28/61651/4908/travel/A+Modern+Pegasus%3A+How+One+Little+Horse+Flew+on+Southwest+Airlines

 

[LD3]

Could have got to the same place with a saddle....

 

[necigrad]

Ya know, I'm pretty certain that the dog in this case was a COMFORT animal for the vets PTSD and NOT to assist the blind.  These nuances, however, tend to be overlooked by Fox News.  I also haven't seen much addressing the fact that airlines don't have to follow the ADA on their aircraft, only the ACAA which was designed to address the challenges of the ADA onboard aircraft.