British Airways
 

Laura Warren wrote:

Oh No! I just booked my flight to France on British Airways. Oh well, I
guess I can survive 2 flights, but hope it's better when I fly than what you
experienced

My only "beef" with British Airways is their "policy" of
insisting that anyone using a wheelchair sit in a window
seat (regardless of their pre-booked seat assignment). I am
not "disabled" in the sense of being unable to walk, and I
certainly have no difficulty getting out of an aisle seat
quickly - that's why I choose one (as near the lavatories as
possible). However, I do find the long, long trek from the
check-in counter to the assigned gate very difficult,
because my collapsible cane[walking stick] is packed away in
my carry-on bag. Consequently, I usually request a
wheelchair to get to and from the gate. I really had to
FIGHT with the BA flight attendants last time, before they
would allow me to sit in the aisle seat I had pre-selected
months in advance!

Gott ist gut zu mir. wrote:

That is odd, I have flown with BA, Luftansa, AA, Continental, and US Air,
and BA was one of the best experiences other than Luftansa. My last
transcontinental flight was in 1998.
Has flying become such an ordeal in 7 years?

It becomes more and more so - in ways that have no
discernible connection with "security" measures put in place
after 9/11/01.

On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:08:27 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

My only "beef" with British Airways is their "policy" of
insisting that anyone using a wheelchair sit in a window
seat (regardless of their pre-booked seat assignment).

It is a pity all airlines do not adopt that rule. In an emergency anyone who
has problems with movement is a hindrance to more mobile persons evacuating
the aircraft.

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

-
Lansbury
www.uk-air.net
FAQs for the alt.travel.uk.air newsgroup

On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:08:27 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

My only "beef" with British Airways is their "policy" of
insisting that anyone using a wheelchair sit in a window
seat (regardless of their pre-booked seat assignment).

It is a pity all airlines do not adopt that rule. In an emergency anyone who
has problems with movement is a hindrance to more mobile persons evacuating
the aircraft.

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

-
Lansbury
www.uk-air.net
FAQs for the alt.travel.uk.air newsgroup

Lansbury wrote:

On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:08:27 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:


My only "beef" with British Airways is their "policy" of
insisting that anyone using a wheelchair sit in a window
seat (regardless of their pre-booked seat assignment).


It is a pity all airlines do not adopt that rule. In an emergency anyone who
has problems with movement is a hindrance to more mobile persons evacuating
the aircraft.

That's probably true (although it's considerably easier to
get out of an aisle seat quickly, even for someone "who
has problems with movement"), but there are other reasons
for needing a wheelchair, as mentioned. No "rule" should be
so arbitrary it allows of no exceptions.

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

"Row"? Seats in the middle of th plane may be accessed from
either aisle, and most of the aircraft I've been in have
only two seats on the window sides - at worst one would only
inconvenience ONE person. (And it inconveniences them far
more, if the person in the window seat must make frequent
trips to the lavatories.)

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

So never mind what the passenger wants and has specifically
booked far in advance? Most people with "disabilities" are
far more aware of their capabilities than some "suit" in an
airline's central offices.

Lansbury wrote:

On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 09:08:27 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:


My only "beef" with British Airways is their "policy" of
insisting that anyone using a wheelchair sit in a window
seat (regardless of their pre-booked seat assignment).


It is a pity all airlines do not adopt that rule. In an emergency anyone who
has problems with movement is a hindrance to more mobile persons evacuating
the aircraft.

That's probably true (although it's considerably easier to
get out of an aisle seat quickly, even for someone "who
has problems with movement"), but there are other reasons
for needing a wheelchair, as mentioned. No "rule" should be
so arbitrary it allows of no exceptions.

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

"Row"? Seats in the middle of th plane may be accessed from
either aisle, and most of the aircraft I've been in have
only two seats on the window sides - at worst one would only
inconvenience ONE person. (And it inconveniences them far
more, if the person in the window seat must make frequent
trips to the lavatories.)

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

So never mind what the passenger wants and has specifically
booked far in advance? Most people with "disabilities" are
far more aware of their capabilities than some "suit" in an
airline's central offices.

On Wed, 06 Apr 2005 08:59:32 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

"Row"?

Well I thought it would be fairly obvious that someone sitting in an aisle
seat only effects those next to them, so I used the term row as being
something I thought most would understand. As in if you are in a side block of
seats on a 747 you have three people in a row and the centre block has 4
seats.

The inconvenience I was referring to, again I thought fairly obvious, was the
inconvenience of being stuck behind someone with movement difficulties when
you have seconds to evacuate an aircraft.

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

So never mind what the passenger wants and has specifically
booked far in advance? Most people with "disabilities" are
far more aware of their capabilities than some "suit" in an
airline's central offices.

The suit in the office probably has a far better understanding of the best
practice for all passengers than the passenger who is only considering their
*own* needs. If an aircraft crashes (as opposed to a control forced landing)
it will invariable catch fire, that is why there is a requirement to evacuate
in 90 seconds, longer than let you are dead.

Programme on TV in the UK a few weeks back about a plane crash in the US.
turbo-prop came down and all but the Captain survived most relatively
uninjured. The intelligent few followed instructions and got out fast, the
rest sat and gathered their thoughts. About two thirds of the passengers burnt
to death.

So in this case BA probably does know what it is doing, better than those who
like a particular seat. The last thing that they want are passengers with
mobility problems hindering those with a chance of getting out. In this case
one glove does fit all because the airline cannot know how a persons mobility
is effected in advance. A good guide is if they need a wheel chair to get to
the aircraft they have problems. Bit late in an emergency to find out they let
a passenger sit where they wanted and others are climbing over them to get
out.



-
Lansbury
www.uk-air.net
FAQs for the alt.travel.uk.air newsgroup

On Wed, 06 Apr 2005 08:59:32 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

"Row"?

Well I thought it would be fairly obvious that someone sitting in an aisle
seat only effects those next to them, so I used the term row as being
something I thought most would understand. As in if you are in a side block of
seats on a 747 you have three people in a row and the centre block has 4
seats.

The inconvenience I was referring to, again I thought fairly obvious, was the
inconvenience of being stuck behind someone with movement difficulties when
you have seconds to evacuate an aircraft.

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

So never mind what the passenger wants and has specifically
booked far in advance? Most people with "disabilities" are
far more aware of their capabilities than some "suit" in an
airline's central offices.

The suit in the office probably has a far better understanding of the best
practice for all passengers than the passenger who is only considering their
*own* needs. If an aircraft crashes (as opposed to a control forced landing)
it will invariable catch fire, that is why there is a requirement to evacuate
in 90 seconds, longer than let you are dead.

Programme on TV in the UK a few weeks back about a plane crash in the US.
turbo-prop came down and all but the Captain survived most relatively
uninjured. The intelligent few followed instructions and got out fast, the
rest sat and gathered their thoughts. About two thirds of the passengers burnt
to death.

So in this case BA probably does know what it is doing, better than those who
like a particular seat. The last thing that they want are passengers with
mobility problems hindering those with a chance of getting out. In this case
one glove does fit all because the airline cannot know how a persons mobility
is effected in advance. A good guide is if they need a wheel chair to get to
the aircraft they have problems. Bit late in an emergency to find out they let
a passenger sit where they wanted and others are climbing over them to get
out.



-
Lansbury
www.uk-air.net
FAQs for the alt.travel.uk.air newsgroup

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" schrieb im Newsbeitrag ...


Lansbury wrote:

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

"Row"? Seats in the middle of th plane may be accessed from
either aisle, and most of the aircraft I've been in have
only two seats on the window sides - at worst one would only
inconvenience ONE person. (And it inconveniences them far
more, if the person in the window seat must make frequent
trips to the lavatories.)
For the airline the point is that they have about 130s to empty
an aircraft on fire after the landing. After that, survival chances drop
to almost nil. I'm really sorry to say so but airlines have to minimize
the number of charred bodies inside and BA seems to do so by putting
more mobily appearing passengers at the aisles in order to get the fast
ones out first. This is triage. Get used to it just as I will have to get used
to it that after 60 I won't get a heart transplant in case I'd need one.

As for "just one", how many people do you think should die in an
evacuation because you want to have an aisle seat?

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

So never mind what the passenger wants and has specifically
booked far in advance?
Yes.

Most people with "disabilities" are
far more aware of their capabilities than some "suit" in an
airline's central offices.
a) From what you wrote I assume the window decision was made
by someone who saw you in a wheelchair, right? So no suit in
the central office was involved.
b) FP doesn't know what you're "aware" off because they can't read
your mind and they all have grandparents who see and hear
"perfectly" and "of course" don't colour their hair and definitely don't
need a new knee or hip and so on. They go by what they see. Which
is you in a wheelchair.
c) If you want to convince the FP that you can walk, then do exactly
that, even if it hurts. If it hurts too much, BA will assume you will
slow down a panicking and stomping crowd.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" schrieb im Newsbeitrag ...


Lansbury wrote:

If in an aisle seat they could block other passengers in that row from getting
out quickly enough.

"Row"? Seats in the middle of th plane may be accessed from
either aisle, and most of the aircraft I've been in have
only two seats on the window sides - at worst one would only
inconvenience ONE person. (And it inconveniences them far
more, if the person in the window seat must make frequent
trips to the lavatories.)
For the airline the point is that they have about 130s to empty
an aircraft on fire after the landing. After that, survival chances drop
to almost nil. I'm really sorry to say so but airlines have to minimize
the number of charred bodies inside and BA seems to do so by putting
more mobily appearing passengers at the aisles in order to get the fast
ones out first. This is triage. Get used to it just as I will have to get used
to it that after 60 I won't get a heart transplant in case I'd need one.

As for "just one", how many people do you think should die in an
evacuation because you want to have an aisle seat?

A very rare occurrence in practicality but one BA has at least thought about,
and decided to put the onus on the emergency situation.

So never mind what the passenger wants and has specifically
booked far in advance?
Yes.

Most people with "disabilities" are
far more aware of their capabilities than some "suit" in an
airline's central offices.
a) From what you wrote I assume the window decision was made
by someone who saw you in a wheelchair, right? So no suit in
the central office was involved.
b) FP doesn't know what you're "aware" off because they can't read
your mind and they all have grandparents who see and hear
"perfectly" and "of course" don't colour their hair and definitely don't
need a new knee or hip and so on. They go by what they see. Which
is you in a wheelchair.
c) If you want to convince the FP that you can walk, then do exactly
that, even if it hurts. If it hurts too much, BA will assume you will
slow down a panicking and stomping crowd.

Lots of Greetings!
Volker