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Limit CW seats with direct access to Special Assistance pax

Limit CW seats with direct access to Special Assistance pax

Old May 10, 2018, 4:07 am
  #16  
 
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My biggest concern with this idea is that the direct access window seats would be labelled "disabled friendly" when they're not - they might be for some but the major benefit they offer is that you don't have to climb over a footrest.

You still have to duck and twist and you can imagine the headlines and/or posts on here when a 6'6", 25-stone, 70-year-old who uses a cane/wheelchair tries to pour himself through the gap between the seat and the bulkhead.

I appreciate that there are people with sensory issues, etc. who might be able to benefit from those seats but they would be much worse than an aisle seat for many, as well.
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Old May 10, 2018, 4:32 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by BarneyMcGrew

As BA offer a 'free pick' of seating for disabled people at the time of booking, one would pick the most suitable seat to cater for their needs, which would again tend to point to aisle seats.
They don''t offer 'free pick' to anyone who isn't registered disabled, but who could not manage to climb over another passenger's legs. Their only option, should they be assigned a non-aisle seat, would be to disturb the other passenger.
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Old May 10, 2018, 4:49 am
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by bluemoon68
They don''t offer 'free pick' to anyone who isn't registered disabled, but who could not manage to climb over another passenger's legs. Their only option, should they be assigned a non-aisle seat, would be to disturb the other passenger.
There is no such thing as 'registered disabled' anymore. That term is a throwback to the old 'Green Card' system under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, which was repealed upon the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which has since been subsumed into The Equality Act 2010 (end of social history lesson!).

Providing one has a physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities, then they are classed as 'disabled' under the Equality Act 2010.

Equality Act 2010
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Last edited by BarneyMcGrew; May 10, 2018 at 5:20 am
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Old May 10, 2018, 4:55 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by GadgetGal
If F redemptions get restricted and London Airport bookings turn into a post code lottery then we can debate protecting a few seats, no?
But do you want this debate to be taken more seriously than the others?
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Old May 10, 2018, 5:33 am
  #20  
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Originally Posted by Globaliser
But do you want this debate to be taken more seriously than the others?
I'm open for debate in BAFT style, i.e. not taken too seriously and certainly not personally
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Old May 10, 2018, 6:55 am
  #21  
 
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I flew back from JFK and booked 64JK 24 hours before the flight. I have profound deafness and didn't have it on my BAEC at that time. We took those seats because they were available at the time. Never knew how sought after they were till I joined FT!

It does help that I can lipread and see what the CC are saying!
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Old May 10, 2018, 7:41 am
  #22  
gms
 
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Originally Posted by GadgetGal
Confession time: This rarely applies to myself anymore ^ but I can see it from both sides If F redemptions get restricted and London Airport bookings turn into a post code lottery then we can debate protecting a few seats, no?

Far from just personal preferences: the reason this came to mind is because I know of some pax with complex issues (sensory, behavioural etc) combined with mobility. In those situations one picks the "lesser evil", so to speak and it isn't always the aisle seat.
Linking your argument to F availability is just silly.

I am well aware of the impact that some non-mobility related conditions (e.g. Autism) can have on people. People at the more severe end of the spectrum are not likely to be travelling on their own for a start (if at all). I am sure that when you start to analyse the population in terms of people who have restricted mobility, combined with a sensory condition, you must be getting down to very small % of the population. Even more so of the travelling population. So a seat blocking policy such as the one you are suggesting seems unnecessary when travellers can still select the seats themselves, subject to their availability.
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Old May 10, 2018, 8:09 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Takiteasy
For as long as I can remember a pax with registered disabilities has been able to book any seat of their liking aside from emergency exists, for free. Not sure this applies to upper deck 747 but certainly works anywhere in lower deck 747 and on upper deck 380. So you definitely (and rightly so) have prio over pretty much anyone else.

Thread over? (On a winning note, unlike most of today’s thread proposals)
If a passenger requests special assistance (PRM) then they will be booted out of the upper deck on the B747, unless the policy has recently changed.
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Old May 10, 2018, 8:27 am
  #24  
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Originally Posted by Tobias-UK
If a passenger requests special assistance (PRM) then they will be booted out of the upper deck on the B747, unless the policy has recently changed.
PRM pax can use 747 UD if they can make it up the stairs
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Old May 10, 2018, 8:38 am
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by GadgetGal
PRM pax can use 747 UD if they can make it up the stairs
I would have thought that the possibility of having to make it down the stairs in a hurry or use the slides from that height would be more of a concern.
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Old May 10, 2018, 8:51 am
  #26  
 
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Give them an aisle seat. As far as I'm aware, the aisle seats have direct aisle access There are even aisle seats in Y they can book at a cheaper price.
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Old May 10, 2018, 9:14 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by GadgetGal
PRM pax can use 747 UD if they can make it up the stairs
Then there has been a change in policy, perhaps my protestations and complaints actually got through.
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Old May 10, 2018, 11:17 am
  #28  
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I’ve never labelled myself as ‘differently able’, but my hearing isn’t too good ... especially in the noisy cabin envonment. My wife frequently has to ‘translate’ messages from the CC for me, so an aisle seat works best for me most of the time.

GG ... glad to hear things are (usually) better for you.
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