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CAN ANNOUNCES UPDATED SECURITY PROCEDURES FOR DEAF
AND HARD OF HEARING AIR TRAVELERS FROM US DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION
TDI is a member of the Consumer Action Network (CAN),
a coalition of national organizations working together
to develop national policies on behalf of individuals
who are deaf, late-deafened, hard-of-hearing and deaf-blind.
By Kelby N. Brick, Esq.
The Consumer Action Network (CAN) reminds deaf and
hard of hearing travelers planning airline flights during
the holiday season that new air travel rules may have
a significant effect. The United States Department of
Transportation has released a fact sheet regarding security
procedures for travelers with disabilities, which contains
several items that impact deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind
and late-deafened travelers.
For example, airlines must continue to provide meet
and assist service (e.g., assistance to gate or aircraft)
at drop-off points for deaf-blind travelers. The lack
of curbside check-in, for certain airlines at some airports,
has not changed the requirement for meet and assist
service at drop-off points.
The limit of one carry-on bag and one personal bag
(e.g., purse or briefcase) for each traveler does not
apply to medical supplies and/or assistive devices.
Passengers with disabilities generally may carry medical
equipment, medications, and assistive devices on board
the aircraft. Such assistive devices may include TTY
bags, laptops that are configured to provide CART or
other services.
Service animals, once inspected to ensure prohibited
items are not concealed, are permitted on board an aircraft.
Any backpack or sidepack that is carried on the animal
will be manually inspected or put through the X-ray
machines. The service animal's halter may also be removed
for inspection.
Assistive devices such as TTYs and hearing aids, once
inspected to ensure prohibited items are not concealed,
are permitted on board an aircraft.
Air carriers must ensure that qualified individuals
with a disability, including those with who are deaf,
hard of hearing, and deaf-blind, have timely access
to information, such as new security measures, the carriers
provide to other passengers. For example, on flights
to Reagan Washington National Airport, persons are verbally
warned to use the restrooms more than a half an hour
before arrival since after that point in time passengers
are required to remain in their seats. Alternative formats
are necessary to ensure that all passengers, especially
deaf persons, understand new security measures such
as the one at Reagan Washington National.
CAN is the premier coalition of national consumer organizations
representing a wide continuum of deaf and hard of hearing
people, including those who are deaf-blind and late-deafened.
There are over 28 million deaf and hard of hearing people
in the United States. For more information about CAN,
contact Arvilla Rank, Vice-Chair, at vicechair@candhh.com.
Members of CAN include ADARA, American Association
of the Deaf-Blind (AADB), American Society for Deaf
Children (ASDC), Association of Late-Deafened Adults
(ALDA), Conference of Educational Administrators of
Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD), Deaf Seniors
of America (DSA), Gallaudet University Alumni Association
(GUAA), Jewish Deaf Congress (JDC), National Association
of the Deaf (NAD), National Black Deaf Advocates (NBDA),
National Catholic Office of the Deaf (NCOD), National
Center for Accessible Media (NCAM), Registry of Interpreters
for the Deaf (RID), TDI, Inc. (TDI), USA Deaf Sports
Federation (USADSF).
Editor’s Note: The full text of the above-referenced
fact sheet can be found at the US Dept. of Transportation’s
website at: www.dot.gov/ost/ogc/subject/consumer/aviation/publications/disabled.html
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