Blog #213: Defending Ability Beyond Disabilities

…

I don’t usually write these kinds of blogs, but I feel that as a member of the neurodiversity/disability community, I do need to come to the defense of someone within our community who has been put through the wringer.

…

Kaiser, Rachel’s emotional support animal

This is true as of recent involving my friend/colleague Rachel Barcellona, CEO and Executive Director of the Non-Profit, Ability Beyond Disabilities (the organization I recently became Board Security for), who had been the victim of ableism at JetBlue Airways when they would not allow her support animal, a sharpie named Kaiser to board a JetBlue Flight from Tampa to New York/JFK yesterday.

Apparently, the airline stopped Rachel and Kaiser from boarding because Kaiser was acting “excited” and thus, not qualifying as an emotional support animal. But it gets worse than that: apparently, Rachel was sat down on the floor and questioned extensively about her medical history, her disability, etc.

Naturally, of course, Rachel had a meltdown as a result of being treated so badly by JetBlue. Then, when all is said and done, she agreed to pay the pet fee and her rebooked flight was cancelled when the supervisor on duty saw that she was coming back to get on her rebooked flight.

…

Rachel Barcellona, Autism Self-Advocate and CEO of “The Ability Beyond Disabilities”

To make a long story short, Rachel was the victim of ableism and this is sadly the case with many disabled/neurodiverse flyers who need ESA’s when they travel. What JetBlue has done to her and Kaiser is absolutely unacceptable on many levels.

As a frequent flyer myself, I condemn the actions of JetBlue and their staff in Tampa for even putting one of our community’s most important and most loved members in this situation.

…

It’s also worth noting that I was in a similar situation myself almost ten years ago.

In July 2013, I was returning from my first Brony Convention in Seattle, WA when I was accused by United Airlines of having a gun…A GUN…in my checked baggage on a flight from Seattle to Washington’s Dulles Airport. The staff in Seattle questioned and harassed me about something that I didn’t even have on me. I had to even go up to the cockpit to explain myself to the pilots and after a few moments, they ultimately concluded that I did not have a gun on me.

Of course, my folks were upset by this (and they witnessed the whole thing from a few rows back) and they wrote a “mama bear” type letter to United about what had happened when we returned to Providence, RI.

…

The fact of the matter is that airlines need better training to deal with disabled/neurodiverse flyers like Rachel and myself in terms of accommodations for Emotional Support Animals as well as handling situations like what Rachel went through as a neurodiverse/disabled individual. The people at JetBlue in Tampa along with JetBlue itself, need to be held accountable for their actions on all levels. End of story!!

…

Catch you all later!!

#Diversity #Disability #JetBlue #Neurodiversity #Equality #SpecialEducation #JobCoaching #Autism #AirTravel #Education #Employment #Inclusion