I hope she wins a Billion dollars.

From Air France, who else? She's suing.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=5974200

Limbless Woman Sues Air France Over 'Torso' Snub

A wheelchair-bound woman with no limbs sued Air France for discrimination on Friday, alleging she was kept off a flight by a gate agent who told her a "torso cannot possibly fly on its own."

Price, who was born without limbs...

...an Air France agent who told her that "a head, one bottom and a torso cannot possibly fly on its own."

She said the airline also made it difficult for her to return from John F. Kennedy airport to Britain by requiring her to get opinions from four U.S. doctors certifying she was able to fly alone.

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When the ticket manager and boarding manager saw her, they refused to allow her on the plane without a companion
Air France said it hasn't seen the suit and had no public comment.

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http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/26844.htm
Airlines requiring companions is not uncommon for severly handicapped individuals

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from Manchester, England, to New York on Aug. 19, 2000

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http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4927332.html
Couldnt have been that indignant if it took nearly four years to bring the case.

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Originally Posted by Archer

http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/26844.htm
Airlines requiring companions is not uncommon for severly handicapped individuals

http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4927332.html
Couldnt have been that indignant if it took nearly four years to bring the case.

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Your second link is broken.
The airline made her get opinions form FOUR doctors.

Odd works fine here however heres the text:

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Woman without limbs sues airline

A woman sued Air France in federal court, saying an employee told her she could not board a flight because she has no limbs. Adele Price, 42, who was born with birth defects caused by the leprosy treatment drug thalidomide, claims she suffered emotional and psychological damage and endured large expenses to complete a trip from Manchester, England, to New York on Aug. 19, 2000. Air France declined to comment.

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Whilst I don't agree with four references it is not an uncommon thing for airlines to ask for a doctor knowledgeable of the patients condition to take overall responsibility for giving a patient permission to fly and not leave it to the airline to be responsible should anything happen.I think it was the airline being overzealous in this case as one from her own doctor should have sufficed.

While the airline should probably adjust their policies, a million bucks for just that is preposterous.

Looking for a free ticket for the rest of her life, much?

it will probably be settled out of court anyway because whatever the merits of the case it would do the airline no good to prolong the publicity.

I hope I win a billion dollars, then I'm going to take my tax break money and buy a fleet of ice cream trucks and sell ice cream to everyone in Techs' town...except him! NO ICE CREAM FOR YOU! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

He probably doesn't like ice cream anyway :)

Sounds to me like it'll cost the airline an arm and a leg!

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Originally Posted by gazzak

Sounds to me like it'll cost the airline an arm and a leg!

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OMG LOL


I think she should sue the stupid employee. And who cares if Air France gets sued.

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Originally Posted by gazzak

Sounds to me like it'll cost the airline an arm and a leg!

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ROFLMAO:grin:

Good one....

Seriously, Don't you think this woman who is has lived with her disability for 42 years and who obviously has her mental faculties, is the best judge of what she can't do and what she can do?

People in airlines assist people in wheelchairs all the time getting in and our of chairs. What would make this person any different?

Answer: ????? What IS the answer?

As it turned out she later took a British plan that day and flew without incident.

"F the French" I say... :flames:

Its nothing to do with her abilities its all to do with legal responsibility and the consequent blame culture you yanks have imbued on your culture.As you see us Brits dont give a T**s who flys with us as long as they pay.:)

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Originally Posted by Archer

Its nothing to do with her abilities its all to do with legal responsibility and the consequent blame culture you yanks have imbued on your culture.As you see us Brits dont give a T**s who flys with us as long as they pay.:)

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Even if what you say is true, I don't see how that applies to a British citizen flying a French plane that's leaving New York...:confused:

Besides, American airlines fly disabled people all around the world all the time. Its the law... :confused:

Are you saying she shouldn't have sued the airline?

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Originally Posted by Orangeman

Seriously, Don't you think this woman who is has lived with her disability for 42 years and who obviously has her mental faculties, is the best judge of what she can't do and what she can do?

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Agreed

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Originally Posted by Orangeman

Are you saying she shouldn't have sued the airline?

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I'm saying that if that airline at that airport applied the same rule to all passengers then she has no legal ground to sue [I'm sure it will all be covered in the small print].If she was a frequent traveller she should have been well aware of the differing rules imposed by hauliers to travellers with restricted abilities and taken steps to ensure she complied.
This does not in any way excuse any disparaging remarks passed onto the traveller which should be covered under standard company disciplinary procedure.

She should have slapped the guy!

Oh, errrr, riiiight.......

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Originally Posted by Archer

I'm saying that if that airline at that airport applied the same rule to all passengers then she has no legal ground to sue [I'm sure it will all be covered in the small print].If she was a frequent traveller she should have been well aware of the differing rules imposed by hauliers to travellers with restricted abilities and taken steps to ensure she complied.
This does not in any way excuse any disparaging remarks passed onto the traveller which should be covered under standard company disciplinary procedure.

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Hmmmm.?

An 'iffy' proposition at best. Being a disabled passenger myself I can tell you that airline rules governing disabled passage vary widely. For example American Airlines, which seems to be the best, allows you to load your wheelchair in first class. They will also put you in first class if they have an opening there. None of the other airlines do that.

Some airlines require you transfer to one of the airline chairs (not aisle chair) prior to loading.

In this case, this lady sounds like she was a doofus for not allowing a person with no arms and legs to travel unattended. I've never heard of anyone doing this kind of thing before. IF she had been a frequent flier and had this kind of thing with Air France before, I doubted she would have selected them again.... :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Archer

I'm saying that if that airline at that airport applied the same rule to all passengers then she has no legal ground to sue [I'm sure it will all be covered in the small print].....

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The airport rule does not exist. I'm not even sure Air France has that rule. My guess that particular flight offficer was making up policy. You can't discriminate against somebody simply because of disability in the US. You have to show a reason why that particular disability makes you an unfit passenger.

Second if all of Air Frances passengers had no arms & no legs you can bet they would be able to accomodate ALL their passengers

Third, Why is fine print fine??????:D

Maybe that particular Air France employee was trying to protect the airline against possible lawsuits and you are right.


But she should have checked to make sure she was on solid legal ground to do so first....IMHO....

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Originally Posted by Tekboy

She should have slapped the guy!

Oh, errrr, riiiight.......

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Coulda done a headbutt instead..... :D :D