Frontier Airlines Makes a Stand for Sanity

Frontier Airlines Makes a Stand for Sanity

Braille MonitorMay-June 1986
(back)(contents)(next)
Frontier Airlines Makes a Stand for Sanity
(I ask that Monitor readers study
carefully the following material. It is
a refreshing departure from the usual
nonsense and downright paranoia we have
come to expect from most of the airlines.
I also ask every Federationist
and every friend of the blind to use
Frontier Airlines when traveling whenever
possible, even if it sometimes
means some inconvenience in schedule.
We should respond positively to people
who treat us like first-class human
beings instead of slaves and secondclass citizens.--Kenneth Jernigan, President, National Federation of the
Blind.)
Grinnell, Iowa

February 24, 1986
Dear Dr. Jernigan:
Enclosed you will find a copy of the
Frontier Airlines policy concerning
assistance to blind passengers and the
seating of blind passengers.

As you will note from the policy,
Frontier has simply defined the category
of "the handicapped" so that it does not
include the blind. Frontier's restricted
seating policy excludes the blind
from the category of those who receive
restricted seat assignments by two methods.
First, the title of the restricted
seating section excludes the blind from
coverage by the section. Secondly, the
section contains a flat statement that
the blind are not included in the category
of those whose seating is restricted.
The
Frontier policy has two other
delightful features. First, Frontier emphasizes repeatedly that assistance by
its employees is optional and to be
provided only when the passenger wants
it. Secondly, persons using white canes
and guide dogs are treated exactly the
same under Frontier's policy. This
means that dog users have no more restriction
on their seating preference
than do cane users when flying Frontier.
Any blind person can sit anywhere on any
Frontier plane.

Mr. Mark Warinner, who sent me this
policy, told me orally that Frontier had
filed this procedure with its FAA office
in Denver in the routine way. In a
routine filing, the FAA office supervising
an airline accepts the filing, looks
it over, then either lets the filing
stand or communicates its disapproval to
the airline. If the FAA office suggests
that something is wrong, the airline and
the FAA office usually negotiate until
an agreement is reached. The airline
then withdraws its filing, writes out
the agreement, and files it as the airline's
own policy. The FAA says nothing,
and the filing stands.
Mr. Warinner told me that he filed
this procedure in the routine way in
August of 1985. The FAA office replied
that it was not sure this was the thing
to do and didn't Frontier want to think
about this in light of the CAMI study.
Leaving this filing at the FAA office,
Mr. Warinner wrote to the Department of
Transportation inquiring whether airlines
or the FAA made airline policy in
this instance. His letter has never
been answered. His policy is still on
file and in effect. He said he would
send me a copy of the letter he wrote to
DOT, although I have not yet received
it.
Sincerely yours,
Peggy Pinder
FRONTIER AIRLINES CUSTOMER HANDLING
Chapter 55-2 Page 59
Date 08/20/85
CONDITIONS OF CARRIAGE (Cont'd)
8.03 Sightless and/or Deaf Persons
Any sightless and/or deaf person in
otherwise good health shall be accepted
for passage and is not considered handicapped.
A sightless or deaf person accompanied
by a dog guide or hearing dog may be
permitted to carry the dog with him/her
in the cabin of the aircraft at no extra
charge.

Sightless or deaf passengers (including
their dog, guide or hearing) may be
seated anywhere they desire.
In addition to stowing in closets or
carry-on bins, travel canes carried by
blind individuals may be stowed--

(1) Under any series of connected
passenger seats in the same row, if the
cane is flat on the floor; or
(2) Between a non-emergency exit window
seat and the fuselage, if the cane
is flat on the floor.
All possible assistance shall be rendered
to blind or deaf passengers, if
desired by the passenger. (Ask the
passenger if assistance is desired.)
This includes guidance to the lavatory
and assistance in location of food and
utensils on food trays.

The Check-In Agent Will: If desired by
passenger, early board and identify passenger to Flight Attendant.
The Flight Attendant Will: Identify
passenger to Agent at transfer points
and destination, if special assistance
is requested.

The Transfer Point Agent Will: Repeat
step of Check-In Agent above.
8.04
Handicapped Seating Criteria
(Except Sightless and/or Deaf Passengers)
The seat locations disscussed herein
are the preferred locations for safety
and comfort; however, nothing shall
prevent the use of other seats if the
customer desires, or if needed due to
capacity, as long as an emergency exit
row is not used. For the purposes of
seating, there are two types of physically
handicapped passengers, ambulatory
and non-ambulatory. Blind or deaf passengers
seating is not restricted.
Ambulatory means the passenger does
not require assistance to evacuate and non-ambulatory means the passenger does
require assistance to evacuate. Ill or
infirm passengers will have to be judged
as ambulatory or non-ambulatory, whichever
is applicable.
Preferred Seating--B737
Ambulatory Non-Smoker: Row 5 Window

Ambulatory Smoker: Row 12 Window

Non-Ambulatory Non-Smoker: Row 5 Aisle

Non-Ambulatory Smoker: Row 12 Aisle (back)(contents)(next)