388
submitted 1 year ago by throws_lemy@lemmy.nz to c/world@lemmy.world
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Kite@sh.itjust.works 91 points 1 year ago

“We use the services of a third party wheelchair assistance specialist

I wonder what that corporate bullshit speak title actually stands for.

[-] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 63 points 1 year ago

We don't need to accommodate disabled clients on every flight so we outsourced the service to the lowest bidder. What could possibly go wrong?

[-] there1snospoon@ttrpg.network 33 points 1 year ago

It means we don’t want to pay for our own wheelchairs so we let someone else handle that.

[-] athos77@kbin.social 16 points 1 year ago

Someone who hangs out in a hidden corner somewhere, vaping and watching Netflix, until they get paged to go to work. Who doesn't get paid overtime and doesn't stick around after their shift ends, so any flights that arrive late are SoL.

[-] HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

I guess I'm lucky (or they have a note on file that I tip) because the one at SFO hangs out if my flight is late.

[-] SomeoneElse@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago

I use a wheelchair sometimes and know the answer to this - airlines pay the airport to handle the special assistance. AFAIK they’re not specialists as such, more like hospital porters. Getting onto the plane is just a small part of it. Once you arrive at the airport you’re met by someone with a wheelchair (if you don’t have your own) who fast tracks you through check in and security and pushes you to the gate. Then they come back when the plane is boarding and push you onto the ambilift - a kind of cherry picker platform thingy that lifts people in wheelchairs up to the plane door on the other side. Once you’re on board the cabin crew take care of you.

Just recently Ryanair left a disabled passenger on the tarmac and the plane had to be turned around to pick them up. Ryanair blamed Toulouse(?) airport as it was technically up to their assistance staff to get the passenger on board, and Ryanair pay the airport to do that.

Last month the assistance I booked didn’t turn up so my partner had to push me while I guided the suitcases from the chair. It was a pain in the arse but thankfully we were met at the gate and assisted onto the plane properly.

[-] brygphilomena@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

The airlines don't own the airports. The rent out terminals and gates. Most of the time people need a wheelchair is throughout the airport, so the airport handles that. The times they are needed on the plane, the airline contracts out to the airport (or whatever service it uses) to extend service to the planes.

[-] miseducator@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

No pun intended?

[-] mateomaui@reddthat.com 3 points 1 year ago
this post was submitted on 31 Oct 2023
388 points (99.0% liked)

World News

38970 readers
2216 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS