Blind friends told they can’t fly to Mallorca because they won’t be able to see safety demonstration

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 10:06 EST, 1 May 2013 | Rob Cooper

[Olog-hai]

Two blind friends have been told they can’t go on holiday to Majorca together just two weeks before they were due to fly because they need a carer.

Lauren Wigglesworth, 27, and Stephen Sherwood, 24, were told by Thomson that they must take someone with them because they won’t be able to see the in-flight safety demonstration.

Lauren was looking forward to the break at the the luxury C’an Picafort resort as she recovers from a grueling 11-hour operation and prepares for her next stint in hospital. …

Lauren and Stephen, from Hereford, were told that they would not know how to put on a life jacket or an oxygen mask. But she said: “I have spoken to other blind people who said they were shown how to put on the life jacket and explained the plane instructions before they even boarded. So what is it about us that means they can’t?” …

[Olog-hai]

Fulll Daily Mail title:

Blind friends told by Thomson Holidays they can’t fly to Majorca because they won’t be able to see the safety demonstration

Hmm. What happened to the crusade against “discrimination”, eh?

[I want the USA back]

Sue their a$$e$ off.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

I think airlines and pilots have a final say in this, aggravated by traveling over a lot of water, which actually changes in-flight rules somewhat.

A blind person cannot immediately respond to crew orders, but can be a significant obstacle to evacuation. While some problems can be addressed by changing their seating, by international law it is probably up to the airline.

[JRandomFreeper]

Where are the Christian men that should have accepted responsibility for the blind pair during the flight? If I was on a flight and that happened, I'd accept responsibility for safety for a blind person. Beats watching a 3 year old any day.

/johnny

[Da Coyote]

And no passengers volunteered to show them...or escort them?

Something does not sound right in that story.

[Resolute Conservative]

It was Air Farce 1 and they did not want to be late taking off for another junket.

[PowderMonkey]

Guffaw! Like being able to see makes any difference. "Please note the location of your nearest emergency exit. If this plane augers in, you'll never get to it alive."

[Vendome]

Guess they didn’t see that one coming..

[PowderMonkey]

The Birkenhead Disaster

To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing
all about,
Is nothing so bad when you've cover to 'and,
an' leave an' likin' to shout;

But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew,

An' they done it, the Jollies -- 'Er Majesty's Jollies -- soldier an' sailor too!

Their work was done when it 'adn't begun; they was younger nor me an' you;

Their choice it was plain between drownin' in 'eaps an' bein' mopped by the screw,

So they stood an' was still to the Birken'ead drill, soldier an' sailor too

Rudyard Kipling - “Solider and Sailor Too”

[JRandomFreeper]

One of my favorites. I memorized that one, 'Eathen, and The Betrothed.

/johnny