HigherFlyer

Let me clarify this a bit.
Yes, it is true that there is no requirement for airlines to provide IFE. However, if they CHOOSE to provide it, they would (if the ADA were enforced) be required to acommodate all "audience members" equally. In effect, since there is a screen, and sound is provided, the plane becomes a theatre, and subject to (presently non-existent) enforcement.

#1 - The airlines adhere to the ADA regulations regarding carriage, so why not IFE?
#2 - The IFE is subject to ASCAP/BMI regulations, so why not ADA?

I would certainly not keep quiet about this issue. If you don't complain, they won't respond. Don't expect them to respond right away though.
A good book would definitely be my fallback position.

P.S. I have seen a good in flight movie once. On KLM. It was in Dutch, and had subtitles.

P.P.S. The format of the IFE is different for different aircraft. Some have DVD, some have tape, some have digital 'bin' (on demand) technology.

SylviaCaras

"In 1986 Congress passed the Air Carrier Access Act, requiring the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop new regulations which ensure that persons with disabilities will be treated without discrimination in a way consistent with the safe carriage of all passengers. These regulations were published in March 1990."

http://www.faa.gov/acr/dat.htm

I believe it's that Act and not the ADA that governs accommodations on airplanes. Though the issues are the same, the guidance may be different.

Sylvia

Dovster

You can be transported safely without seeing a movie (or being able to hear one).

A deaf person is not in a much different position than a non-English speaker who is not flying out of his own country. An Israeli flying TLV-FCO-ATL on Alitalia is not going to understand the movie. Neither is a German flying DUS-CDG-JFK.

On the other hand, even those few airlines which show movies between Israel and non-English speaking European nations have them available in English.

I don't think this is a matter of discrimination. It is a matter of directing resources to areas where the most people will get a benefit.

KDHawaii777

You said "A deaf person is not in a much different position than a non-English speaker who is not flying out of his own country"

Let me tell you something. Deaf person is MUCH different position than a non-English speaker.......

Deaf person CAN not hear and is unable to talk.

Non English Speaker CAN hear and is ABLE to talk.

Hello?

Dovster

Inability to hear a film is not very different from inability to understand what is being said in it.

Ability or inability to talk makes no difference in connection with a film.

I certainly am not comparing deafness with not being multi-lingual. I am only talking about the situation of watching a movie.

KDHawaii777

If you are unable to hear what they're saying, turn the caption on and you'll understand what they're saying.

Again, the airline(s) M-U-S-T provide a portable DVD players so the deaf passenger can watch the movies. Just like hearing peope, the airlines are required to provide movie equipments for the hearing passengers to watch movies. Airlines do not need to make an excuse for financial reasons.

Dovster

What about Alitalia, Aer Lingus, El Al, or any of the other airlines which ban DVD's and other laser devices completely? Would they also be required to supply them even though they consider them to be safety hazards?

Incidentally, airlines are not required to provide equipment for people to hear movies. Some airlines have no movies. Others charge for renting earphone. Some sell earphones. If you want decent earphones, you have to supply your own.

I have seen DVD players being available for rental in US airports and they are obviously easy enough to buy, so they can be purchased and used on any airline which permits them.

KDHawaii777

You stated "If you want decent earphones, you have to supply your own."

That's a big laugh. Think again. I am D-E-A-F. That means I can NOT hear AT ALL. Zippo..Zero...What's the point of getting an earphone if I am deaf? That's nonsense.


Also you stated "Incidentally, airlines are not required to provide equipment for people to hear movies."

That's dumb comment. think again, if the airlines are not provide equipment for people to hear movies even they have the equipment for them to see?

Dovster

I was using the collective "you", not the singular.

In other words, I was saying that anybody who wants decent earphones has to supply his own. Obviously, a deaf person would not want earphones decent or otherwise.

KDHawaii777

Thanks for clarification.

FWAAA

Being a cheapskate, I never used to give the airline the $5 or so to watch the movie, so I experienced the same entertainment "experience" as would a deaf person.

Now my airline of choice lets me use my own headphones to watch its movies. Guess what? I still don't watch their choice on the big screen.

For years I have carried a laptop or DVD player with which to entertain myself and/or my children. I get to watch what I want to watch, when I want to watch it, and as many times as I want to watch it.

Portable DVD players are inexpensive. I recommend buying one and moving on to champion a cause (there have to be some) that is infinitely more important than demanding that the airlines show subtitled movies.

danielonn

I thought that airlines have that capability because when I watched the AA safety video it has closed captioning on it. I think the PTVs should have a menu option where you can enable it and disable it. I thought it's an ADA law where there has to be these type of accomodations. The airline should have DVD players to pass out.

KDHawaii777

Me too! I think they should do that...

FWAAA

What does the local megaplex do for the hearing impaired? I've never seen subtitles added at the local cinema to accomodate the deaf, but then again, maybe I don't go to enough movies.

whirledtraveler

Good point. There's a theater group near where I live. As I mentioned earlier one of my kids has a hearing problem. Maybe we can sue them to close caption their plays.

I don't think we should forget the blind either. Movie theaters, airlines, and even local plays should be required to hire someone who comments, in real time, on the positions of the characters and their gestures so that blind people don't miss anything.