Draft guideline issued to ensure ease during air travel for disabled people

October 27, 2021

The Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday issued draft guidelines for aviation sector stakeholders such as airlines and airports to ensure disabled people can travel at ease

NEW DELHI : The Civil Aviation Ministry on Tuesday issued draft guidelines for aviation sector stakeholders such as airlines and airports to ensure disabled people can travel at ease.

Actor and dancer Sudha Chandran had last week, in a video posted on social media, narrated her ordeal of how she was made to remove her prosthetic limb every time during a security check at any airport.

According to the draft guidelines, airport operators must make special arrangements to facilitate screening of persons with special needs so that the process is carried out efficiently "keeping the dignity and privacy of the passenger in mind".

During the screening of prosthetics, the airport security -- which is handled by the CISF at most of the airports -- might use X-ray, explosive trace detection devices or visual checks according to their requirement, it mentioned.

The passenger -- who has a prosthetic limb -- will first pass through the door frame metal detector and should then be taken to a private screening point and made to sit comfortably, it noted.

This passenger will then receive additional screening including a pat-down, the draft guidelines said.

"A prosthetic appliance which does not have any foam padding cover under which any weapon or explosive can be concealed and in which the steel rod of the appliance is clearly visible may be screened by visual inspection and ETD checks only, without removing it."

However, in rare cases, where there is sufficient justification including profiling of the passenger, X-ray screening may be resorted to, it stated, adding the justification for subjecting a prosthetic limb to X-ray screening shall be recorded by the screener in a register

Prosthetic appliances that are covered in foam padding and in which the steel rod is not visible must undergo X-ray screening, it mentioned.

The draft guidelines also said that passengers who have external devices including insulin pumps, hearing aids, cochlear implants, spinal stimulators, bone growth stimulators and ostomies will not have to disconnect them for X-ray screening.

Under most circumstances, a passenger can conduct a self-pat-down of these devices followed by ETD screening of his or her hands, it added.

Disabled passengers should inform the airline about their complete requirement 48 hours before the scheduled departure so that the carrier can make necessary arrangements, it mentioned.

If a passenger wants to check-in their wheelchair at the airport, the airline must ensure that the wheelchair is duly taxed and sent to the baggage make-up area with a service partner to avoid any damage, it noted.

Passengers should check with the airline on the specific requirements of bringing service animals on flights. A low floor coach or a ramp should be used for comfortable boarding or debarring of wheelchair users, the draft guidelines mentioned.

"Airlines should ensure that a disability awareness training is conducted for new hires and ensure periodic refreshers are conducted for all staff to reiterate policies and standard operating procedures on customer assistance with different types of disabilities," it mentioned.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has given three weeks for people to send their comments and suggestions on the draft "Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation", after which final guidelines will be issued.

business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/draft-guideline-issued-to-ensure-ease-during-air-travel-for-disabled-people-121102601823_1.html

Discriminated for no fault: Airlines, airports in India fail their ‘special’ fliers

For the disabled, journeys on domestic flights are tales of never-ending turbulence. Days after the de-boarding of paraathlete Madhu Bagri from a Hyderabad-bound plane, the demand for standardisation of air travel protocols for the disabled has grown stronger. 

Hyderabad: International paraathlete Suvarna Raj says that she was de-boarded from a plane in a similar manner last month. “I reached a little late than usual and was given my boarding pass. But they denied me entry because my security check would take longer,” she says. She missed her flight and was allocated a seat on a flight which departed the next day. 

Experts say that such an incident would have never occurred had India been following International Protocol and using Explosive Trace Detection Systems (ETDs). These systems allow for security checks to be carried out without disabled persons having to part with their accessibility gear. 

Nipun Malhotra, the founder of the Nipman Foundation, says, “I filed an RTI and found that over 77 airports in the country have ETDs, but they are not being used anywhere. Instead, we are forced to be transferred from our wheelchair or remove our prosthetic limbs in the name of security.”

Persons with disability ask why they have to undergo such humiliation when the necessary technology is available.

Their troubles do not end after the security check. “As per the procedure that is followed internationally, disabled persons are allowed to take their wheelchairs up to the aircraft door, where they are shifted to aisle chairs which can pass through the cabin. However, in India, the wheelchair goes into the baggage compartment and disabled passengers are physically lifted and carried to their seats, which is not only dangerous but also humiliating,” says Ms Suvarna Raj. Some airlines do not have aisle chairs, in which case the availability of seats in the front row becomes crucial, as was in the case of Madhu Bagri.

As per the protocol to be followed in Boeing flights, disabled persons may be seated in the front row. However, in smaller ATR flights, the emergency exit doors are located in the front, requiring mobile persons to be seated adjacent to them.

Accessibility experts say that some airlines do not have any provision for the assistance of disabled persons, as a result of which they are forced to crawl or drag themselves to their seats, which constitutes a violation of their human rights.

“The crux of the problem is that there is no penalty. Every time a disabled person with some privilege faces a problem, it is highlighted. But many unprivileged disabled persons face problems on a daily basis. Why can’t the Directorate General of Civil Aviation penalise airlines, airports instead of merely issuing warnings?” asks Mr Javed Abidi, the director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People. 

Mr Abidi has helped the CISF chalk out a detailed plan of action. He says that the airline services must incorporate a provision for the declaration of disability at the ticketing stage to avoid such hassles.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/290817/airlines-airports-in-india-fail-their-special-fliers.html

Disabled woman passenger alleges Air India made her 'crawl'

Jan 31, 2016

NEW DELHI : A disabled woman passenger has alleged she had to "crawl" to the passenger coach after deboarding an Air India plane as the carrier failed to arrange a wheel chair for her due to "security" reasons, a charge denied by the airline.

The government-run airline claimed a wheel chair was provided to the passenger at aircraft doorstep itself.

The incident took place yesterday when Anita Ghai, a Delhi University associate professor, landed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in New Delhi by Alliance Air (Air India's regional arm) from Dehradun and requested for a wheel chair.

"I boarded this flight with four of my colleagues. Despite my repeated request, the (air) hostess did not cognize my requirement for a wheel chair after reaching. The flight reached at 7:30 pm. I waited patiently with one of my friends," she said

timesnownews.com/india/article/disabled-woman-passenger-alleges-air-india-made-her-crawl/30034

Air India in trouble? Activists demand inquiry

2/6/2016

Bengaluru, Feb 6: The disabled rights activists are demanding an inquiry into the incident where a physically challenged passenger was made to crawl on the tarmac of the Delhi airport. The activists want the Civil Aviation Ministry to set-up an inquiry and punish the guilty for gross negligence.

Recently, a shocking event came to light when Anita Ghai, Associate Professor, Delhi University, who is physically challenged, was denied a wheelchair while de-boarding from an Air India flight in Delhi. Thus she had to "crawl" to the passenger coach after landing at the airport.

"Despite my repeated requests, the [air] hostess did not recognise my requirement for a wheelchair after reaching. The flight reached at 7.30 p.m. I waited patiently with one of my friends," Ghai said.

"At 8:15 pm, we realised that there was no chance of [getting] a wheelchair. The [passenger] coach came at 8.30 p.m. after repeated requests from the flight commander. Since security reasons are critical, they made me crawl to go to the coach," she alleged.

"We demand an inquiry into the horrible incident where Air India made Professor Anita Ghai, a differently-abled woman passenger, crawl on the tarmac of the Delhi airport by denying her a wheelchair. The responsible persons need to be punished for this gross negligence. Air India should give an unconditional apology to the passenger.

They cannot ill-treat people with disabilities in this horrible manner. The latest guidelines on 'Carriage by Air of persons with disability or reduced mobility' must be strictly enforced in line with the goals of the 'Accessible India' campaign," said a petition on Avaaz.org.

Avaaz is a global web movement to bring people-powered politics to decision-making everywhere.

The petition with 20,000 signatures will be submitted to the Disability Commissioner KK Pandey to investigate the matter soon.

"Let's get 20,000 signatures in the next 72 hours so that she can submit a people-powered petition to him," reads the petition.

Here is the Avaaz petition: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Civil_Aviation_Minister_Ashok_Gajapathi_Raju_Inquiry_into_HORRIBLE_INCIDENT_making_disabled_woman_passenger_CRAWL/?bsSthib&v=72574&cl=9473467683

However, Air India had earlier denied the allegation.

"We deeply regret any inconvenience caused to the passenger. However, we strongly deny the statement appearing in media. We at Air India give utmost importance to passenger's safety and comfort," an Air India statement said.

oneindia.com/india/air-india-in-trouble-activists-demand-inquiry-2004984.html