Source: \u00a0The Canadian Press – Thursday, January 10, 2008<\/p>\n
Canadian airlines have a year to stop charging those with severe disabilities for extra seats they need after a landmark decision by the Canadian Transportation Agency on Thursday. The agency ruled that the country’s major air carriers must offer a single fare to those with disabilities, including the severely obese, who require two seats to accommodate them.<\/p>\n
Also under the “one-person, one-fare” policy, they don’t have to pay extra for medical attendants that must be seated with them on flights. “The airlines failed to demonstrate to the agency that implementation of a one-person-one-fare policy will impose undue hardship on them,” the agency wrote in its news release.<\/p>\n
“Canadians with disabilities are celebrating today,” Pat Danforth, chairperson of the council’s transportation committee, said in a news release. “We hope that this decision sends a strong message to all transportation carriers,” Neubauer agreed. “Access is the rule.”<\/p>\n
Currently, persons with disabilities who travel by train, bus or ferry can bring an attendant with them at no extra cost – but to board a plane, they must pay extra for the attendant’s seat. “For mobility, I need somebody to assist me and with luggage, that kind of thing. These are services that are not provided by the transportation provider, so I would need that kind of assistance,” said Council of Canadians with Disabilities spokesman Ron Ross, who uses a wheelchair.<\/p>\n
For further information, you may Send an e-mail to the Canadian Transportation Agency or telephone 1-888-222-2592. The Agency is online at Canadian Transportation Agency link. To keep up-to-date with their latest news releases and other information, use the subscription service available on their home page under “subscription”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Source: \u00a0The Canadian Press – Thursday, January 10, 2008 Canadian airlines have a year to stop charging those with severe disabilities for extra seats they…<\/p>\n