Saturday, November 19, 2005
Ryanair does U-turn on vision impaired passengers
Ryanair have recently been in a wrangle with Scope, a Charity serving the disabled, following a flight where disabled passengers were evicted from a flight because the quota was full. It is good then to hear some good news as far as visually impaired passengers goes. Up until now a maximum of four visually impaired passengers were allowed per flight. Now (subject to approval by the IAA), Ryanair will allow a vision impaired passenger to fly with a sighted companion without affecting the four person quota for reduced mobility passengers per flight.Safety is paramount and in my opinion the four person limit for reduced mobility passengers will stay. In an emergency an increase of a few seconds in an evacuation can mean the difference between life and death. However a visually impaired person may well fare better than average in a smoke filled cabin. Ryanair now lead other European airlines in taking this step. I await a response from other airlines.
How do you feel about Ryanair's move?
Ryanair Press Release
John
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Good point on the ability of the visualy impaired to be able to cope in a smoke filled cabin.
My sense is that the quota on disabled passengers is misguided. Many more people than four could be instantly disabled in many easily imaginable emergencies. What then? I assert the company sees disabled passengers as a hassle, and it wants to limit its exposure to this inconvenience.
My sense is that the quota on disabled passengers is misguided. Many more people than four could be instantly disabled in many easily imaginable emergencies. What then? I assert the company sees disabled passengers as a hassle, and it wants to limit its exposure to this inconvenience.
You say that "Ryanair now lead other European airlines in taking this step" - do other European carriers have such a rule?
How do Ryanair and/or other European carriers decide how visually/mobility impaired is impaired enough to invoke the rule? In the US, for example, there are frequently far, far more than four elderly people using canes or walkers on flights in and out of Florida, a popular winter destination for senior citizens.
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How do Ryanair and/or other European carriers decide how visually/mobility impaired is impaired enough to invoke the rule? In the US, for example, there are frequently far, far more than four elderly people using canes or walkers on flights in and out of Florida, a popular winter destination for senior citizens.
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