by Emily Hung
South China Morning Post
Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways’ budget wing, HK Express, became embroiled in controversy after two visually impaired passengers said they were forced off a flight, triggering outrage from a campaign group for the blind.
But HK Express denied that the men had been forcibly removed and insisted the passengers had been asked to leave the cabin.
The airline said the decision was made because ground staff and cabin crew had reached different conclusions on whether the two men could travel without a companion, and time had been needed for management to conduct an assessment.
It was not the first time the visually impaired had come up against obstacles when trying to board a flight in Hong Kong. Last year, a visually impaired customer was asked to prove her disability and travel with someone who could look after her.
The airline later apologized and provided the requested escort for boarding after the Hong Kong Blind Union intervened.
The Equal Opportunities Commission in 2017 launched a guide to accessible air travel, designed to help disabled passengers understand their rights and obligations and give tips for a smooth journey.
The Civil Aviation Department also published a document for airline operators in 2015 on how best to help people with reduced mobility when they travelled by air. Here the Post unpacks what accessible air travel means for blind people.
1. What are people’s rights and obligations?
Airline operators should not refuse a reservation for a flight or to board passengers with a valid ticket on the grounds of disability, except for operational or safety reasons.
Passengers who are not “self-reliant” can still fly but have to be accompanied by someone capable of helping the individual meet the safety requirements set by the department.
Billy Wong Chun-hang, president of the Blind Union, said they had members who had flown on their own since the 1970s.
“According to the guidelines, whether a person is fit for travelling alone on a plane or not has nothing to do with their eyesight, but mobility and cognitive ability, including whether they can fasten a seat belt or not,” Chun-hang said.
2. Under what conditions do people need to be accompanied?
Passengers need to be accompanied if they are unable to fasten their own seat belt, or leave their seat and reach an emergency exit unaided. Travelers should also be able to retrieve and put on a life jacket, as well as fit an oxygen mask without help. They should be able to understand safety instructions given by the crew in an emergency.
Some airlines also require people who cannot take care of themselves, including being able to eat, use the bathroom or change their clothes, to be accompanied by someone aged 12 or older. They should also sit together.
3. How should disabled people prepare for a flight?
People with disabilities are encouraged to notify the travel agent and airline of their need for help when they book their flight, or at least 48 hours before departure.
Some airlines recommend people arrive at the airport earlier because it could take longer to check-in and pass through security.
There should be no requirement to prove disability. Proof should only be requested when fraud is suspected. Medical clearance to fly might be needed when the safety or well-being of passengers cannot be reasonably assured because of a medical condition.
It is common for airlines to avoid seating blind passengers in the emergency exit row for safety reasons. They are instead recommended to take an aisle seat.
4. What if you need a guide dog on board?
Guide dogs are allowed on aircraft by carriers registered in Hong Kong as long as passengers have notified the airline at least 48 hours in advance and provide required documents at check-in and on arrival at the destination.
Information needed includes proof that the dog has been trained by a recognized body, a recent letter written by a doctor to explain why the individual needs to travel with the dog, as well as a permit and documents issued by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.
The owner should also arrange anti-rabies vaccination and rabies antibody tests, and check whether the destination imposes any restrictions on guide dogs, such as quarantine period and vaccinations.
No extra charge should be imposed if an additional seat is not required for the dog. The dog should be attached to the owner’s seat belt during take-off, landing, and in turbulence, the Civil Aviation Department said.
5. What support do airlines offer?
Carriers, including HK Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Cathay Pacific, provide more or less the same types of service to visually impaired passengers.
These include escorting passengers from the check-in counter to the boarding gate, and from the arrival gate to the arrival hall. There also given priority boarding and individual safety briefings.
Some airlines’ cabin crew also show passengers the way to toilets and the self-service pantry and have Braille safety cards on board, but there could be problems due to language barriers.
Passengers are typically asked to store walking sticks beneath the seat in front of them or in an overhead compartment if they are not foldable.
Members of the Blind Union stressed that it was important to respect an individual’s wish and their ability to travel independently. “It was great when British Airways cabin crew showed me the way to the pantry and restroom, instead of choosing to escort me there every time,” said Merrick Ho Yui-chi, a member of the union.
“There are many good practices in the industry airlines should follow.”
6. What support services are available at the airport?
There are 24-hour help phones throughout the terminals and the pickup area of Terminal 1.
The special needs vehicle drop-off points and customer service counters are connected by tactile guide paths and Braille maps with audio guides installed. The airport also provides porter services and electric vehicle transport, but at a charge.
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