Service Dog Denied Virgin Atlantic Update

As of May 15, 2017 Virgin Atlantic has replied to my letter that they are looking into properly training so this 'never happens again'.

 So, not exactly implementing a training program....

 Dear Mrs Bensko

 Thank you for your email of 15th May with your thoughts and comments.

 I am grateful that you brought this incident to our attention and am truly sorry that we let you down. Whilst it arose as a result of a genuine mistake, as I said in our telephone conversation, we have launched an immediate investigation and review of our training for our customer facing teams, to ensure that this does not happen again. The action we are taking goes beyond simply sending an email as you mention.

 I am sorry that you feel the gesture offered to you was note appropriate. It was made with the best of intentions to replace your poor experience with a very positive one.

 Once again, I apologise on behalf of Virgin Atlantic and sincerely hope that you will allow us to restore your faith in our service.

With best regards

__________

_________ ___________

Executive Vice President – Customer

Virgin Atlantic

This is just a first step in trying to eradicating a national virus affecting our disabled population from within the corporations of our travel and service industries.

I have written to Senators Feinstein and Harris, filed official complaint with Department of Justice and Transportation who have opened an official investigation into the discrimination and violation of the Air Carrier Access law (the equal of and predecessor to the Americans with Disabilities Act). To ensure this momentum continues forward I am supported by an invaluable dream team of individuals:

Heather Ansley Associate General Counsel for Corporate and Government Relations at Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) works to promote collaboration between disability organizations and veterans service organizations by serving as a co-chair of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) Veterans Task Force and was instrumental in the development of the 1973 Air Carriers Act of America. 

Marca Bristo founder of Access Living and an international advocate for the rights of disabled individuals. During the 1980s, as a member of the Congressionally appointed United States Task Force on the Rights and Empowerment of Americans with Disabilities, she helped draft and win passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In 1994, President Clinton appointed Bristo to head the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency that provides policy guidance to the U.S. President and Congress. Bristo was the first person with a disability to hold this position. Today, as President of the United States International Council on Disabilities, a federation of US disability organizations committed to fostering Disability Awareness inclusion and rights overseas, she is leading a campaign to promote the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in the United States.

And James Weisman, who is now my official representative, is president and CEO of - and general counsel for - the United Spinal Association and a dedicated advocate for over 38 years who also helped expand disability rights and ensure access to transportation for wheelchair users across the country. 

It is essential that ALL individuals who have been subject to discrimination in our airline industry post their story to this Air Access portal: http://www.airaccess30.org/. These WILL be used in PVA's current and on-going advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill. You WILL be heard. Without these stories the odds for change are insurmountable. 

Also, here is a link to the regulatory docket for DOT's efforts to amend the service animal regulation under the Air Carrier Access Act: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=DOT-OST-2015-0246. Please submit your comments and ideas for proposed legislation here. Again, these are not lost in a virtual world but are tangibly used to submit necessary legislation expanding the reinforcement of the rights of service animals nationwide. 

Again, thank you everyone for without each and everyone of your comments, shares and voices, none of this could have been put in motion on very personal journey to just for each and every Disabled American in search of not only acceptance, but even more importantly, justice.