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Flight from Maui, Hawaii to Nantucket, Massachusetts
Delta Air Lines forced a wheelchair-bound passenger to crawl onto and off its planes and across tarmacs, while Delta employees, "fearful of liability," watched, a man claims in court. D. Baraka Kanaan, of Maui, sued Delta Air Lines in Federal Court.
Kanaan claims Delta's "outrageous conduct occurred not once, but twice."
After pointing out that Delta is the second-largest airline in the United States, with $36.6 billion in reported revenue in 2012 and profits of $1 billion, Kanaan continues: "As he always does when he flies and despite the fact that he is not required to do so, Mr. Kanaan called several weeks in advance of his flight and spoke to a customer service representative with Delta to confirm that he is disabled, that he would be traveling with his own wheelchair, and that he required the use of an aisle chair and lift to access the aircraft because he cannot walk.
"The representative assured him that all was noted in the company's travel database, and that he would be received and given reasonable accommodation for his disability.
First Attempt to Address the Problem
Return Flight - The Problems do NOT Improve
Source: Courthouse News
"However, two days later, Mr. Kanaan's return flight, Flight 4245, was again delayed by defendants," the complaint states. "And, when boarding formally began, he was again informed that the necessary safety equipment, an aisle chair and a lift, were unavailable, but that they 'could provide a piece of cardboard to put down so that his clothes wouldn't get dirty.' ...
"Thus, Mr. Kanaan was again forced to crawl across the tarmac, up the stairs of the aircraft, down the aisle, and hoist himself into his seat on the aircraft, which was a physically painful experience for Mr. Kanaan. In the process he felt his spine twist and pull in awkward manners."
And once again, Kanaan claims: "As he did upon his arrival in Nantucket, Mr. Kanaan again observed a lift used to lower and raise disabled passengers at an adjacent gate only a few hundred feet away."
Second Attempt to Solve Problem
Conclusion
Originally posted by liveandlearn
reply to post by Wrabbit2000
Surely the cost of the equipment is not as costly as a lawsuit. Hope he gets half their profits tho that is unlikely. A class action lawsuit may be able to strip them of their cash though.
Originally posted by DeepVisions
Wow, that is absolutely pathetic. How someone can stand by and watch a disabled man crawl onto a plane is beyond me. It sounds like the employees didn't even try to help and they just stood there!!
He better be getting a fat sum of cash from this incident and IMO all the employees that stood there should be fired.edit on 25-7-2013 by DeepVisions because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by alienreality
What surprises me even more is that people nearby would just stand there and watch this without chastising the Delta employees for this horrendous conduct.
Originally posted by crankyoldman
reply to post by Wrabbit2000
"Delta Air Lines forced a wheelchair-bound passenger to crawl onto and off its planes and across tarmacs, while Delta employees, "fearful of liability," "
So they did not help him because they feared a lawsuit? The inaction led to a lawsuit? What kind of logic is this? Way back in the 80's, if a man needed help, a couple of dudes would come over and help, now, folks stand around and asses legal liability, talk, talk, talk and and do nothing, then take the problem to court. We are in a pit of despair.
Surely the cost of the equipment is not as costly as a lawsuit.