Columnist says service rules enforcement towards airlines lacking
This "The Middle Seat" column by Scott McCartney of the Wall Street Journal is one of those bad news-good news articles. The bad news? McCartney contends the Department of Transportation is lax in vigorously enforcing customer service regulation violations by US airlines. McCartney quotes a former DOT inspector who says: "When it comes to other areas of customer service, DOT enforcement is milquetoast. There's got to be a cop on the beat, and I don't see it."The good news? The area McCartney sees as the most vigorously enforced are access and disability related problems. He writes: "The DOT's enforcement office aggressively prosecutes airlines for violations of wheelchair- and disability-access requirements ..."
At least accessibility violations are being enforced. Won't it be grand when there aren't so many to crack down on? (photo via morgueFile.com)
posted by darrenh @ 5:05 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Regular, consistent enforcement will likely change airline employees' behavior, making future violations less common. Very good news! - gdh
Watch for some better enforcement to come about as a result of the SEIU complaint to be filed very soon:
http://www.rollingrains.com/archives/001647.html
My issue is the lack of consistency in air travel around the World for people with special needs. I am a wheelchair user who travels often for business and pleasure. I always try to provide a written statement of my requirements as far in advance as possible. This is not always possible due to on-line booking, and telephoning a special needs line adds complexity. Even then, it doesn't always guarantee that my requirements will be met. After one such request in 2005, I filed a claim under the Disability Discrimination Act in the UK against Thomas Cook Airlines who refused to allow me to book medical seats. I won the case earlier this year when the judged ruled it to be discrimination. Hopefully, airlines will take this ruling on board and amend their procedures in our favour.
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