Posted on 11/16/2013 4:45:04 AM PST by JoeProBono
PHILADELPHIA, A US Airways flight in Philadelphia was canceled when passengers became outraged about a blind man and his seeing-eye dog being kicked off the plane.
Albert Rizzi said flight attendants removed him and his dog from the Wednesday flight from Philadelphia International Airport to Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip, N.Y., because the dog became agitated during a delay on the tarmac, KYW-TV, Philadelphia, reported Friday.
"What I'm concerned about is that there are a tremendous number of individuals in the disabled community who might not have the stamina, the strength, the confidence to stand up for their rights and speak out against these types of ridiculous perceived rules," Rizzi said.
Passengers spoke out in support of Rizzi and his dog.
"Blind man and his dog just got kicked off @USAirways after we've been on the tarmac an hour, bc dog wiggled a bit. Whole plane outraged," one passenger tweeted.
A US Airways representative confirmed the incident.
"On Flight 4384 from Philadelphia to Islip, Long Island, a customer with a seeing-eye dog was asked to keep his dog near his feet when the dog was walking up and down the aisle," the representative said. "The protocol for service animals is to keep them at foot of the passenger, or under the seat, as they are considered extensions of the passenger. When a flight attendant asked the passenger to keep the dog where it needed to stay for safety reasons the passenger got verbally abusive. A decision was made to return to the gate to take the passenger and the dog off the plane. At that point, other customers were unhappy about the situation. The crew did not feel comfortable operating the plane so a decision was made to cancel the flight and US Airways bussed the passengers to Islip, N.Y."
The representative said an internal investigation is being carried out.
A golden lab — yes one of the most vicious K9’s out there...US Airways was right in removing what could of been death for all on board (Sarc/ early in the morning).
Wow - unbelievable...but in the state of union as it is now...not so....
Note...there were no complaints from passengers re: either the doggie OR the blind man.
But there were PLENTY of complaints about the flight crew.
Just sayin’
media trying to make it out to be a story against ppl with disability. Did they ban all blind man with dogs from their planes or just this case?
I have always hated US Aint. Hannity is getting the guy on his show soon.
If you were not sitting near him on the plane, I am sure you do jot know the whole story. I fly more than 120 flights a year with US Airways, and I have never witnessed them show inappropriate behavior with people with disabilities.
I heard this story on the radio the other day.
Cheers for the passengers on that flight.
Jeers to the flight crew.
Good thing this didn’t happen in Dallas or the dog might have been shot.
Awww....
Poochy
Remember when golden labs hijacked airliners and flew them into the Twin Towers?
When USAirways was a monopoly, it could treat passengers like third class citizens and get away with it because people had no other choice. But even after other carriers muscled in on USAirways’ territory, it still treated its passengers like dirt and does so to this day. Then the airline wonders why people are traveling with other airlines.
It is a safety hazard to have a loose animal on a plane, particularly blocking the aisles.
I would not be comfortable on an enclosed and locked plane with either an unruly dog or his verbally abusive owner. Disability has nothing to do with this.
His Arabic Name is Al Pook Farouk.
I have my eye on that guy ☺
” the passenger got verbally abusive”
That significant fact was saved for later in the article. If it had been put in the headline, it would have saved me the trouble of reading the article.
“The dog got agitated” was not the reason why the passenger was removed. Lying through innuendo and omission is still lying.
Not one single passenger complained of the dog.
I imagine they were all scritchin his ears and such.
“A decision was made.” Always look for the ubiquitous passive tense in these statements.
verbally abusive owner. Disability has nothing to do with this.
Verbally abusive could be relative, after all the guy and his dog are from NY. The definition of verbally abusive is entirely different in NY.
oh yes— your right - I forgot all about that day...and when everyone raced out and got chocolate labs instead of golden labs...because that was the new and cool thing to do....you know, it’s been 12 yrs since that incident...and when all the yellow ribbons (the ones symbolizing hate for the golden labs) have all been washed away by wind and rain...I tend to forget...yes, the airlines were right to profile that particular lab and get him off of there....(SARC/ - just in case someone reads this without reading the former)..
Thanks for reminding me...excuse me — my cult leader Obama just delivered a fresh batch of Kool Aid to my front door...
I’m lost. How could the dog walk up and down the aisle if it was restrained by the owner?
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