Blind Traveler Asks Too Many Questions On Delayed U.S. Airways Flight, Is Dragged Off, Jailed, Told He's Faking His Blindness
As 61-year-old Belgian interpreter Nicola Cantisani, who is blind, sat for two hours waiting in the Brussels-bound U.S. Airways jet on the tarmac at Philadephia airport in early April, he wondered why no one was telling passengers about the reasons for the take-off delay. When he requested a glass of water he was shooed away by the crew. When he tried to ask the captain exactly why there was a delay, Cantisani was asked to disembark.
When he refused to do so, he was dragged off the plane by three police officers, pinned into a wheelchair, held by the throat, lost the cane he uses to navigate, held at the airport for five hours without food, water, or access to any phone, moved to a 6' x 7' police cell at 3 a.m., questioned by a psychiatrist, and detained for 16 hours. And it was only at the end of this ordeal that the police finally believed he wasn't faking his blindness.
Cantisani has since had nightmares about "being held hostage," waking up in a prison cell, and generally reliving his "kidnapping." He has no plans ever to return to Philadelphia and, according to the Philadelphia Daily News, he remains "'beside himself' about the flight procedures, the crew and the officers who handled him."
But instead of receiving an apology from U.S. Airways and the Philly P.D., Cantisani is facing charges for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. It would appear that U.S. Airways still hasn't learned a thing from Southwest and needs to retrain its crews until they understand the difference between a true "security risk" and a frustrated passenger.
(Photo: Sebastian Fritzon)
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Frustrated passenger? You're nothing but cattle, get used to it.
As usual, my response is get a lawyer (and sue).
"When he refused to do so, he was dragged off the plane by three police officers, pinned into a wheelchair, held by the throat, lost the cane he uses to navigate, held at the airport for five hours without food, water, or access to any phone, moved to a 6' x 7' police cell at 3 a.m., questioned by a psychiatrist, and detained for 16 hours."
Oh. My. God. What right do these people think they have to push people around like this? A simple apology is not enough. I want to see people punished for their stupid and negligent actions. I think the worst part is that they held him by the throat. No! What the hell? No!! Fing physical abuse right there.
And when did faking blindness become such a serious offense that you could starve a person and then lock them up for no reason?
On a flight to NOLA last year, a USAir FA rubbed my hair as I was boarding (I have it cut short for work) and said, "Ooooo. Soft!" Then,when I asked for my preflight drink since I had upgraded, I was literally barked at with: What cabin are you in? We only serve drinks to first class prior to takeoff." I politely informed her that I was in seat 2A. I got my drink, but felt a little violated and rather put off. But now I think I've got nothing to complain about. Why won't USAir just go away already?
US Airways is a garbage airline. They don't even have the brutal efficiency of Southwest; it's simply the worst choice and they should just die.
If I wasn't already refusing to fly U.S. Airways, I would refuse to fly them.
Also, let's not forget to blame the self-righteous, minimum wage cowboys of the air: the TSA.
Apparently we don't have peace officers anymore, we have gestapo.
It seems like both parties are in the wrong.
"Cantisani was asked to disembark."
At this point, whether the pilot was right or wrong, you have to disembark. That's the way air travel works. That's the law. You get off and then you complain or sue or whatever you want to do. But once you disobey the pilot, you're in a very untenable position.
"When he refused to do so, he was dragged off the plane by three police officers"
Regardless of his behavior, the way he treated is fairly typical of how airport police and security treat people. Which is to say, unconstitutionally and unconscionably.
I hope he sues. For a lot of money.
The size of this lawsuit will be giant. truly staggering...
Usairways is the bottom of the barrel. I wrote them a letter stating I woudn't fly them anymore because of them charging for water. They never responded, but I've been flying United and Southwest ever since. The way I look at it, even if the fare is a few bucks more, I make up for that in whatever BS fees USairways is charging. I bet the next move is to for Usairways to have a stewardess camped out at the crapper asking 5 bucks if you do a number 2.
Sorry but how is it relevant that the guy is blind?
It's a disability. He is afforded more accommodation and protections under the law.
And one would hope a little more understanding and common sense.
Can you imagine how long these Airlines would be in business if they had to be judged by their service and not always knowing that they can screw up and do what they want because they know that the Government and the tax payers will bail them out.
@Featherstonehaugh: Its also relevant that they removed his cane which he uses to help him guide himself (sort of as if they put a blindfold on you cause its the way he would see) ad refused to tell him anything even though he couldn't see what was going on.
being blind myself, I hope this guy gets a good lawyer and makes the airline pay. thankfully, in my experience flying nationally and internationally, i've never really had a problem related to my blindness. Other than one time coninental gave me lip about my shepherd guide dog and an over booked flight. after some back and forth my dog and i got on the plane (sorry to whoever got bumped for my guide) and were on our way. i complained to the airline and got back a written apology and $200 voucher for a future flight. i've never flown that airline since.
@twophrasebark: Agreed. I sincerely hope that everyone involved in his kidnapping and interrogation loses their jobs and that he earns a healthy sum of money taken directly from their pockets. This is really just unacceptable beyond belief.
This very well may be proven to be another story about airline employees. What airline management does not seem to understand is that no matter what transpired in this case, people perceive the airline is guilty. Then some folks will stop flying ...either USAirways or all together. Look how cruise lines are deploying ships up and down the east and west coasts and along the Gulf so passengers can drive to the port of departure rather than fly...and passengers are taking them up on it.
I can remember being mistreated by a TSA officer in Ft. Lauderdale, who separated me from my travel wallet. When I protested, he screamed "Look around you! See all those cameras? No one will steal your wallet!" I remained quiet so I would not get thrown in the pokie. But I guess the asshat did not realize that security checkpoints are one of the top areas where thefts of laptops and devices occur. Thank you for listening.
He wasn't faking...the story said he really was blind. They thought he was faking because they were dicks.
@HogwartsAlum: I think Nitrokart understands that. The point is that even if he was faking, this isn't a reasonable way to treat them.
Words can't describe how badly I feel for this guy after reading his story. He does need to sue, and I want the individuals who did this prosecuted. The airline and its thugs need to be taught a lesson here that will forever change how they treat their passengers. I hope we'll be able to hear how this all turns out.
What I wonder is why the TSA and local police enable this sort of behavior on the part of airline staff. If I were a law enforcement officer I might not appreciate being called in as the solution to airline customer service problems. Where is the airline staff's incentive to do their utmost to deal with righteously pissed off customers when they can just throw up their hands and have the complainers hauled to a cell?
If I were sitting in a coach seat, parked on the tarmac for 2 hours, and my concerns were met with "Stay in your seat and STFU." I might become belligerent too. Likewise, I can see why the guy didn't want to get off the plane: It's an evening transatlantic flight. What happens when they boot him off the flight? He's separated from his luggage, left to find a hotel to stay in, probably wait the whole next day for the next flight. Does the airline even still honor his ticket? Or does the guy have to pay the walk-up fare for a one-way ticket to Belgium? I can't even imagine what that might cost.
@ZurielReptile: In that case, you should have been bumped, not some poor slob who had to miss their flight because of you. If there isn't room to safely accommodate you and your guide, you could have waited one flight. And on top of you getting preferred treatment, you complain about it to receive further compensation.
That was not the same as if there was room and they didn't just want the dog on the flight because someone complained.
@AngelaChanning: What most people don't realize is that when you park the car to when you get on the plane you are on camera. I know some people that work in a midsized airport so I have this on good authority. That does not do a lot of good that does in a large airport if you need to catch a wallet thief but I see the TSA agents point.
at least he didnt have to see the philly airport. What a filth mound that place is.
I hope he sues the airline back to the fucking stone age!
@silver-bolt: It is obvious you are not permanetly disabled. There are legal protections for individuals with disabilities. Leveling the playing field looks like preference to you, but it really is about giving the SAME opportunities as you. Without the dog, their owners cannot move. It isn't like they have them for playing catch and teaching to sit up.
Yes, sue the airline.
I wonder whether the Danish government would be willing to get involved with this. They permit USAir to use their facilities and fly in their airspace. Don't know how they care about their disabled citizens. Just a thought.
Personally, I've had better experiences with USAir than with most other airlines.
While it's reprehensible how the airline treated him, when he was asked to exit the airplane and he refused, he became wrong and deserves the charge for disorderly conduct. Further, if he did resist the officers as they attempted to remove him from the airplane that he had been ordered to exit by the pilot, he deserves the resisting arrest charge. As was noted above, the proper response would have been to leave the plane and then pursue them civilly. I wonder if he was abusive when he asked the pilot about the delay, setting off this unfortunate chain of events. Either way, when he refused to leave the plane he became wrong and deserves the charges that were ultimately levied. The treatment in-between is another story.
It seems to me that what we have here is the product of eight years of fear driven by our "homeland security" and TSA. All of us are suspect when we enter the airport or airplane. The writer Kafka would have a field day with what goes on everyday at our airports. I have tried to avoid flying because of this, and until some sanity returns to our good land I fear that this kind of nightmare will play out time after time.
@Featherstonehaugh: He also cannot see out the windows, as the other passengers can, and infer things about what is happening. Imagine being locked in a closet on the airplane while it's stuck on the tarmac. You're going to need someone to tell you what's going on.
@silver-bolt: I don't know much about ADA...but I'd say if he was able to indicate upon booking that he needed extra space, he's just as entitled to stay on the flight as everyone else. And regardless, I think the ADA can be interpreted to mean that the airline is NOT allowed to use his disability and/or service animal as a reason to bump him from the flight. They have to follow procedure, and thereby the last person to book gets bumped.
@silver-bolt: Wow...f you silver...heartless bastard...
You miss the part where the damn airline overbooked the flight? No, no, no, the role of "devil's douche" is more important.
Last I checked Zuriel was the one who overbooks the flight on purpose just to get that $200 credit. Damn he's done it countless times it's almost like the airlines are paying HIM to fly.
Go troll somewhere else...geeze...
Blind, eh? How'd he know the room was 6'x7' hmm?
But ya, US Airways sucks and there staff sucks. Avoid them at all costs... and definitely NEVER connect through Philly!
@katstermonster: The ADA is fun. If you have trouble keeping track of money or remembering telphone numbers, you are covered by the ADA.
@albokay: @Esquire99: He deserves to be kicked off a plan for being blind and not being able to see whats going on and someone else not telling him what is doing when he obviously can't see what is going on? I don't think that is a reasonable accommodation for him as is required and I don't think his request for information was unjust or unneeded. Plus as he was being dragged away, they probably told him nothing, so if someone put a blindfold over your face and dragged you off an airplane in a strange place than you would go quietly and without a fight? I think not
@silver-bolt: uh, you realise the airplane is overbooked because of the airline, not the passenger? also, if you are transporting blind people (that sounded kind of weird), I think it is only reasonable to expect that they will have a guide dog. Thats one of the ways they get around. Its like having a medical transport on the plane and being surprised a nurse is coming, or that there are oxygen tanks with the passenger.
@lonestarbl: Maybe the reporter found out? Maybe the blind man figure it out by feel? Doesnt require much imagination.
@Eyebrows McGee (popping ~May 29): Okay, good. I told some friends what happened and their response was, "Well, it was an older woman, so it was more of a maternal thing." My thoughts were still like, "No, it was pretty inappropriate regardless of age and gender. Especially given that that was literally the first thing that happened to me on board. No greeting or anything, just random head rubbing.
@zircon:
The poor bastard is blind, and English probably isn't his first language. I would be surprised if his "refusing to get off" was more like "what? get off? no, I want to go home!" and then they violated him.
People suck.
@Esquire99: They did not have any right to ask him to leave the plane because he did nothing wrong.
A blind man cannot tell if police officers are really police officers. They needed to behave professionally and communicate with him properly. Obviously they would not since they had not been trained properly to deal with people of disability.
Maybe airlines should just ask YOU to leave an airplane for no obvious or legitimate reason, just out of the blue, to see if you don't put up a fuss about it such as asking "why?" (which would be classified as resisting).
@lonestarbl: being about six feet in height, if i were in a cell for any ammount of time, i could easily figure out if it were six by seven. i'd barely have room to strech if i decided to lay down.
@Esquire99: "the proper response would have been to leave the plane and then pursue them civilly."
But the airline didn't treat him civilly in the first place. If they had been kind and courteous and had explained to him what was going on (at least to the extent that the other passengers could discern by looking out the window), the situation would have never gotten out of control. He was simply asking for information on why the plane was on the tarmac for 2 hours, and they treated him like a criminal for it.
They should be in danger of losing their business license for this atrocious behaviour.
shame on you, u.s. airways.