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Delta Passenger Sues Carrier, Forced To
Crawl Off Aircraft And Across Tarmac |
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July 30, 2013 - D. Baraka Kanaan
suffers from paraparesis and as a result is
wheelchair bound, Kanaan has filed a lawsuit
against Delta Air Lines and several of its
employees alleging the air carrier forced him to
crawl onto and off an aircraft and then across
the tarmac as Delta employees looked on without
offering him assistance as required under the
Air Carrier Access Act. Delta Airlines tried to
make it right by offering Kanaan 25,000 sky
miles as compensation.
On July 27, 2012, Kanaan, traveling on Flight
4110 from Maui, Hawaii to Nantucket,
Massachusetts for a spinal fusion operation was
forced to crawl across an airport tarmac, up and
down the stairs of an airplane, down the aisle
of the aircraft, and out of and into his seat on
the airplane because the carrier did not have a
wheelchair.
The carrier apologized and assured him this
would not happen again but it did on July 29,
2012, Kanaan was subject to the same treatment
on his return flight. |
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Kanaan
contacted Delta Air Lines several weeks before
his flight at which time he informed them that
he was disable that he would be traveling with
his own wheelchair, and that he required the use
of an aisle chair and lift to access the
aircraft because he is unable to walk. Delta Air
Lines representative assured him that his
information would be noted and he would be
provided the assistance needed to board and
unboard their aircraft.
When Kanaan arrival at Nantucket Airport he was
informed by a flight attendant that the airline
did not have an "aisle chair" to bring him to
the aircraft door nor a lift to lower him down
the aircraft stairs to the tarmac where his
wheelchair awaited him. Kanaan asked the flight
attendant what his options were, the flight
attendant respond “Idont know but we can’t get
you off the plane”. With no options at all
Kanaan crawled off the aircraft down the stairs
and across the tarmac to his wheelchair without
assistance.
When Kanaan reached the terminal he registered a
complaint with the carrier. The carrier offered
him a $100 voucher and informed hi that this
would never happen again. Kanaan informed the
carrier that he would be leaving Nantucket on
the 29th on Flight 4245. Kanaan was informed
that the proper equipment would be available at
Nantucket airport on his return flight. |
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