Solidarity is a rare gem in this world. Even now with the globe aflame in revolution, sparking in every direction, there is far too little of it.
Yet?solidarity is just what Albert Rizzi received?Wednesday night after he and his guide dog were kicked off of a?US Airways?flight flying from Philadelphia to Islip, Long Island.
US Airway released the following statement:
On flight 4384 from Philadelphia to Islip, Long Island a customer with a seeing eye dog was asked to keep his dog near his feet when the dog was walking up and down the aisle. The protocol for service animals is to keep them at [the] foot of the passenger, or under the seat, as they are considered extensions of the passenger. When a flight attendant asked the passenger to keep the dog where it needed to stay for safety reasons the passenger got verbally abusive. A decision was made to return to the gate to take the passenger and the dog off the plane. At that point, other customers were unhappy about the situation. The crew did not feel comfortable operating the plane so a decision was made to cancel the flight and U S Airways bussed the passengers to Islip, N.Y.
But passengers witnessing the debacle tell a slightly different story, and even offer support and solidarity to Mr. Rizzi.
Passenger’s report?that the flight had been delayed an hour and a half on the tarmac and the dog became restless (just as the other passengers had, no doubt).
Rizzi was then approached by a flight attendant. One passenger claimed Rizzi was given only a minute or so to calm his dog.
He tried to do whatever he could, and she went back to the front of the plane. We were taxiing like we were going to take off, and at that point in time, we’re about to take off, and all the sudden the captain gets on the PA and says we have to head back to the terminal ? We all kind of raised our voices and said this is a real problem. So the captain winds up coming out of the cockpit, and he basically asked us all to leave the aircraft.
Rizzi said:
“The lady comes back and gets very insistent, and I said, ?Look, I don’t understand what you want me to do.? He’s as best as he can, he’s where he needs to be,? and I hear nobody else moving, and as I’m walking to the front, I’m like, wait a second, why am I the only one getting off?”
Another passenger tweeted:
Blind man and his dog just got kicked off @USAirways after we’ve been on the tarmac an hour, bc dog wiggled a bit. Whole plane outraged.
Immediately the ?rest of the passengers refused to fly unless Rizzi was allowed to fly, as well.
With the flight canceled, remaining passengers were boarded onto busses and arrived in Long Island around 2:30 a.m.
“What I’m concerned about is that there are [a] tremendous number of individuals in the disabled community who might not have the stamina, the strength, the confidence to stand up for their rights and speak out against these types of ridiculous perceived rules.”
US Airways claims to be investigating the incident.
Blind Man, Guide Dog Kicked Off Flight (Video)
Featured Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
