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Air Travel Action Alert
By advocacy | July 30, 2006
Editor’s Note: This video appears a bit out of focus because we used a web cam to record this message. Please bear with us as we continue to learn how to create and post web videos to the NAD Advocacy Blog.
*Text below is an English translation of the ASL video messages*
Hello. This is Kelby Brick. I am an attorney at the National Association of the Deaf. I wanted to let you know that the NAD and other consumer organizations have filed documents with the Dept of Transportation (DOT) arguing that deaf and hard of hearing air travelers should have the same access as hearing air travelers.
For example, video media in airlines should be captioned. Televisions in airports should have the captioned feature turned on as well. There are other access issues as well.
There is; however, a problem. Airlines are opposed to ensuring access. They are now trying to persuade the DOT that captioning is, among other things, too complicated and expensive.
Do you accept the airline’s rationale? Of course not! Me neither!
Let’s unite! We can file comments with the DOT informing them that captioning and other access issues are important and that the DOT should support the NAD position.
It’s easy to do that. Just go to:
http://www.NAD.org/DOTfiling
You will get the DOT’s online form. Put down, under “docket†the number “23999â€, and then fill out the form with your name and address.
In the comments box, you can say that you want captions on all televisions now and that you support the NAD position on this issue…and you want access now.
If you want more information on this issue, go to:
http://www.NAD.org/AirTravelAction
It’s easy!
Thank you for taking action!
Topics: Action |
August 2nd, 2006 at 11:45 am
Will this cover PA announcements as well? Something akin to a scrolling text window that will show the latest announcements?
August 8th, 2006 at 10:16 am
Jared,
The action item also covers PA Announcements. Please be sure to mention this in your letter to the DOT. For more information on the air travel access issues that the NAD is concerned about, please go to:
http://www.nad.org/airtravel
August 13th, 2006 at 6:28 pm
This was one of the things that bothered me the most about airports. Thanks for making it easy for us to submit our comments to the appropiate people in the government. It only took me 30 seconds to do it!
September 15th, 2006 at 12:01 pm
I am very pleased to hear the case that implemented to the DOT’s attention what the deaf and hard of hearing community need to receive the visual information at the airports with closed-caption. I wish all airlines provide movie showing with closed-captions during the flight trip for deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Money is not important but the equal accessible are exlcusively need for us.
October 7th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
I agree with NAD and I always miss what the movie or news is about. Not fair that we are in the dark and the hearing people enjoy it and understands everything. And I do fly once in a while.
October 17th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking abstract reads: “DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 24, 2006.”
Will the DOT still read and consider comments made now?
November 5th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Only way to convience DOT is to find someone like researcher to do esmiates on costs of such technical stuff, so that we may compare between expensive or cheap with DOT. Yes, I agree with you, Kirby Brick, because airlines make alot of money!
Smile!
J. Williamson
November 5th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Way to go, Kelby! Access for all!
I have just one question though…and also one comment.
The television sets on airplanes have such tiny screens, I wonder if captions would captions be readable?
Have you ever read captions on an airplane’s television screen?
If cost is TRULY an issue, why can’t airplane companies show foreign films that are already dubbed?
Then we could all enjoy almost equally.
Just wondering,
A. Bopp
November 5th, 2006 at 9:41 pm
They spent millions to make the background music to help travelers relaxing and have a good travel experience. They also spent millions to put the sound control for ear plugs on individual seats and it is not necessary but it’s luxary. Closed captions shouldn’t put a dent on their music budget and it is not noticable at all.
November 7th, 2006 at 7:37 pm
I am frequent flyer, and encounter movies without captioning. I file complaint EVERY TIME with the airline. Everytime I recieve a different responses. However I did recieve $25 dollar offer from flight attendant which I mailed to headquarter. They gave me $100 dollar discount instead. Talking to DOT is fine, but if we also directly complain to the airlines, they will hear our voice clear. We must both complain to flight attendants, request complaint or file formal complaint via headquarters for every incident. If enough of us file, the airlines will hear us regardless of government stance. They want our business. United airline is one who sent me $100 dollar discount. Let’s do this together. I also called the movie theatre headquarters’ disablity service and threatened ADA actions. The movie then immeidately offered DAILY captioning!! Certainly, only one movie per week are captioned..but that is HUGE improvement over once every 2 months. We must call and threaten actions to companies themselves. Government is too weak, we must challenge the businesses themselves. If enough of us advocate for ourselves, we will generate considerable effect.
November 8th, 2006 at 4:34 pm
In response to A.Bopp on readable captions, how about having a long strip where captions go across similarly to TTY’s screen and it could be placed under the small TVs in airlines? Just a thought here…
Sarah
November 8th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
Just a thought to you readers, I mentioned in my comment to DOT that we need to unite and put a stop to airlines and airports’ contributing themselves to promoting the continued illiteracy issue among deaf people by not providing captioning for everything.
You know, it is not just a justice issue but is also a literacy issue. Airlines say it’s so expensive to provide captioning and the airline owners sure do have a son or a niece that is deaf and need to realize that it is also damaging their deaf son or deaf niece as well as other deaf people’s literacy skills because of people like them.
Sarah
November 11th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
Here’s a thought, the airlines probably use DVD’s to show movies….all the DVD’s have English subtitles (*and some DVD’s aren’t cc so I just use the subtitles instead when I rent ‘em), why can’t they just turn those subtitles on when they turn on movies?
Now, In case you haven’t noticed, the airlines ARE CC the emergency videos they air when they are talking about the procedures passengers are supposed to do when there is an emergency. So that’s doable but CC the other tapes between movies and those emergency videos aren’t? Go figure? I think there is some logic missing here and this is where we need to focus our actions on and DOT may or may not be the ones we need to be talking to, probably the airlines I would think since there is a ‘gap’ in thinking.
Now as someone pointed out the PA announcements, that is the airports that need to be fixing and that could be up to DOT to make mandatory for all airports, they could be using SLC, Ontario airports as examples of what an accessible airport should be like.
I do have a beef with access in aiports not only for PA announcements but here’s a wierd experience I had (and tried to complain somewhere but couldn’t find someone to complain to), needed airport shuttle service but they needed to be ‘called’ but there was no way to call unless I had to beg for help since there wasn’t a tty to be seen and I didn’t have a working SK with me at the time to call relay etc… and the sign said at night you have to call too, go figure, shouldn’t there always be a taxi or something waiting particularly at less busy airports?
Talk about accessiblity.
Anyway, my 2 cents.
December 25th, 2006 at 11:55 pm
this is unbelieveable. airports need to get with the times already. jeez. it was soooo annoying on my 10 hour flight to have to watch 3 movies w/o closed caption and the flight attendent didn’t have a reason why they couldn’t turn on the closed caption. it pissed me off royally. i wanted to punch someone. talk about totally UNFAIR!
January 29th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
I agreed with Mr. Brick that we all deaf people need cc on tv and also inside the airport terminals there should have big (not too big) tv to let deaf people read what the announcement is about…I once was in
Florida airport and was about ready to aboard plane fly back to Detroit and at that time I dont have blackberry with me…many people rushed to office about delay plane leave and almost many of them called thier love ones to let them know they will be arrive late due to plane’s
problem…so I am stuck myself …how do I let my freind know that I will be there late… so when I arrive there they were so relived me there ok but scold me for not let them know so how do I let them know…oh well I wish i could afford blackberry or anything to let them know but no way
at that time for me to do anything…
Will someone willing to call them while distress happened? I have noticed they all are too busy…I didnt see any tty in plane…or terminals…sorry ok thanks
February 1st, 2007 at 1:51 am
I have the similiar experience with Americian Airlines for providing the video media without captioning. I felt like 2nd class. When I watched the hearing people enjoying the entertainment of the movies during the trip. I said to myself.. I paid for the trip equally as they do…and I am left out without any accessiblity. I have requested them to please turn on the subtiles on…they are too busy or didn’t want to be bothered. I agree with Kim’s statement dated on Nov 11, 2006. It is unbelievable that we are still living in the dark ages nowadays. I thought the ADA law is effective since in the 90’s ???
February 12th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
I never get the help that I need at the Airport when I inform then that I am deaf, they say they offer speical needs?? what do they offer??? they make me sit at the Gate and not knowing whats going on when they are talking over the PA and etc. I hope that something will get done at the Airports because I hate going and not knowing whats going on ever.
April 15th, 2007 at 1:56 am
Interesting comments..
May 19th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
So what is the status? I see comments, etc and that this was brought to the Dept of Transportation in 2006. I am wondering of the status of this complaint because I recently was on an airline and they didn’t have closed caption. Any improvements on this action?
July 31st, 2007 at 8:09 am
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