Minutes Meeting – Impact from airlines refuse to serve people with disabilities

According to people affected by the airlines refuse to serve people with disabilities often occur.
Representatives of the disabled has taken a complaint to the “Commission social affairs, youth, the elderly, children, the disabled and the disadvantaged”.

The subcommittee considered the complaint. This case is an example of the discrimination problem between people with disabilities and the airline in Thailand. Therefore, the subcommittee invite representatives of agencies involved in the supervision, control and licensing to airline attendants to find ways to resolve the problem in a systematic way. And to solve problems impact to all the airlines in Thailand.

Today there is a meeting at the National Assembly, the state legislature of 2/2015.
This was contained in the agenda, details are as follows:

Committee on Social Affairs, children, youth, the elderly, the disabled and the disadvantaged:

1. Dr. Montian Boontan / Chairman
2. Colonel. Chanat Rattanaubol / The 1st Vice Chairman
3. Khun. PoungKeaw Kijthum / Sub-Committee and secretary.
4. Mr.Teerayut Sukhonthavit / Sub-Committee
5. Mr.Torpong Saelanon / Sub-Committee and the subcommittees.

Representative in the policy level from related agencies:

1. Department of Transportation
2. Department of Civil Aviation Airports of Thailand (AOT).

The Petitioner:

1. Ms. Arpanee Mitrtong
2. Mr. Wansao Chaiyakul
3. Mr. Manit Intharapim
   Me / myself as the behalf of Facebook page AccessibilityIsFreedom, and volunteers for Rights of the Disabled / The Redemptorist Foundation for People with Disabilities (Mahatai).

Complaints can be summarised as follows:

1. Airlines refuse to service people with disabilities.
2. Despite the airline regulation to serve people with disabilities, the airlines dare to issue a letter denying service to the people event they all well understood the law.
3. To prevent serious accident with can’t estimated for damage value. Request for “Passenger Highlift Truck” instead of humen carry up/down from stairs to the aircraft in the case that the aircraft cannot land alongside the terminal building.
4. Why Thai Smile Airways Company Limited require disabilities to notify the airline 72 hours before service?
5. Airline ticket reservation web application should provide complete options for disabilities to describe their disabled
6. Several loose points from airline service or airport to service the disabilities e.g. equipment, facilities or services.
   The airlines and airport should be able to provide service to all type of disabilities equally for both during ground and in-flight
7. The Airlines cut costs by denied to service the disabilities regardless the rights and rules.
8. Thai Lion Air refuse to service the disabilities if traveling without partners.
9. Some airlines require the disabilities to sign an agreement letter before getting on-board. Otherwise not allow to get on.

Meeting content as follows:

1. Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Clarify the following:
   1. services to people with disabilities should be equal and are clearly defined in the law ministry. This refer to equipment, support or services with FREE OF CHARGE.
      The airlines didn’t do correctly. Their 1st quick action is to invite all airlines for meeting to acknowledge the warning and remind about the regulation which already included in terms of licensing (and all airlines know that very well). And if still not comply would lead to fine or termination of the contract, respectively.
   2. According to the Ministry law, AOT responsible to provide equipment and facilities.
      But How AOT comply with this contract, such as hiring “handling agent” is up to their policy.
      
   3. Advertisement regarding passenger rights and regulations still weak. DCA will inform all airlines to improve as quickly as possible.
   4. The DCA will coordinate and monitor to solve the problem.
      And will report to the Commission to determine the status and operation respectively.
2. AOT confirm that “Passenger High Lift Loader” should be in all airports as it’s defined in the TOR.
   AOT concessions ground equipment with operators, which currently are THAI (Thai Airways International Public Company Limited) and BIYABEST. But the other airlines request to use or not is another matter. AOT will take this issue to discuss for conclusion,whether to cancel the concession and operate by them-self.
3. The President said the construction of Suvarnabhumi airport second phase should take the first phase as a lesson.
   World-class designer can design but suitable to operate or not? Then problem arise because the design doesn’t fit the operation.
4. I added the additional information to the meeting:
   Thailand still have many problem providing facilities for disabilities in all over the place, such as facilities provide at the MRT or BRT station. It would be better if we do this correct from the start. The main problem is from “The person who design and build didn’t know what to do and person who know what to do didn’t get a chance to give information” Normal person don’t understand the feeling of getting carry up/down the aircraft (10 or more steps). Please be remind that, we “the disabilities” welcome to assist in the implementation, monitoring and providing information to the construction of any facility. Let’s plan/do it correctly from the beginning.

Thanks to Chairman, Secretary ,Sub-committees,
and representatives for showing strong support to the issues.
We will follow-up on intensively and update to you all asap.

Reference:

1. Ministry of Transportation Announcement.
   The protection of the rights of passengers using the service airline of Thailand under annual domestic routes – 2010
   (As from the following link), Page 17, Section.8:“If the passengers were children age under 12 years old and traveling alone, people with disabilities or people who can not help themselves. Airlines required to comply with the care of the case. In accordance with international policies with no additional costs, whether in any case. If airlines have canceled flights or flight is delayed airline must serve and care hastily”