TierFlyer

On my flight today from SFO to DFW there was a blind man travelling alone.

I don't think I've ever seen that, if you'll excuse the expression.

He easily found his way from row 12 to the 1st class head (he asked on his way through the crew area while boarding - they were very gracious) and back.

But it occurs to me that in an emergency he would literally be dependent on the "kindness of strangers."

Have I just missed this sort of thing in the past?

LessO2

That is more prevalent among us than you think.

No, not more blind people, but the older people on a flight. They won't be getting off a plane very fast.

ralfp

If you were seated next to him, wouldn't you help him in an emergency? I certainly would, as would most people... Except if he was a jerk; then he's on his own (kidding).

mjz

I saw a young, blind man navigating his way through ORD a few weeks back. As I was approaching to offer a hand, another guy beat me to the punch. He extended his arm and assisted the young man to his gate. Not to be cheesy, but it warmed my heart. I'm a sucker for random acts of kindness.

Loren Pechtel

My mother travelled alone by plane several times during her life. She was totally blind. They simply have to ask about things we read the signs for.

peachfront

I've seen it and never thought much about it. It isn't like a lone blind man or woman can drive to their destination.

22wingit

Lots of deaf folks, too. We blend in a bit better than most blind, but there are some difficulties out there for us, too. One of my biggest peeves is that airports never seem to have marquees repeating the gate/general announcements. Then when your plane isn't where you expect it to be, you ask a GA who proceeds to answer your question whilst looking down at her monitor screen. Sorry, but if I can't see your mouth moving, I can't hear you.

tkey75

It really depends on the emergency, doesn't it? According to the 'What do do in event of a crash' thread, it's every man for himself when the plane stops moving. I'll be more than happy to let the blind person know where to go before the crash, but after that, it's sayonara, baby.

I imagine a blind person has a better chance than I do if the cabin is filled with smoke. They're used to moving about without being able to see where they are going.

ND Sol

A number of years ago my wife was on a flight out of BWI and on it were a number of blind persons with their seeing eye dogs. It seems that there had been a convention in Baltimore and they were heading home. It just so happened that the flight had quite a bit of turbulence, which started one or two of the dogs to howl and then a number of the others joined in. Turbulence and howling dogs at night -- an unique combination.

tkey75

That is awesome!!!! Toss in to the mix some psychadelics and you've got a party!!!!!!

obscure2k

Moving to the Disability Forum. Please continue to follow there.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

skylady

Since the flight attendants are the last off the plane in any situation, the policy is to check the cabin for any disabled/immobilized pax. They won't get left behind. ^

Christiane

My partner is blind and travels alone very often. In case of an emergency he finds his way out without the illuminated stripes on the floor. He could guide the other people in the darkness.

To be serious, in a plane it is easy to find your way if you are blind. And the end of the rows is an emergency exit. A lot of seniors would need more help than my partner.

oldpenny16

In an emergency, I'll grab the blind person to get ME out. I had this happen when the power failed in our offices. My office is an inside one with no window and the hallway to the stairs has no windows. At that time we didn't have emergency lights (do now).

Although I'd walked that hallway hundreds of times with the lights on, I was more than happy when one of our supervisors who is completely blind offered to help me out of the hallway and into the stairs where there were lights. He was checking each office to make sure all got out as we didn't know the cause of the power failure.

We miss him as he went on to a much better job elsewhere.

WildKat

I've been totally blind since birth and have flown alone since I was 13. I've traveled all over Canada and the US by myself both when using a white cane and since 2000 a guide dog. I think in emergency situations when you have to get off a plane quickly it's an advantage being blind because for example in my case I was told how many rows my seat was from each exit and I wouldn't get disoriented trying to find my way out of a plane in the dark.

Even when I fly now (I had a spinal cord injury in 2004 and have been a wheelchair user since) if my boyfriend is with me and the flight attendant starts telling him that we will have to wait until everyone else is off the plane in the case of an emergency before we are allowed to get off he says "are you kidding?! If that happens I will be following her off the plane and will wait for everyone else to find their way off." This surprises them every time until they realize while everyone else got on the plane without paying that much attention I know exactly where I am sitting, how to get to the nearest exit and would be on the floor and off the plane before anyone else even figured out where they were.