Plenty of us take to the skies, whether it’s to visit family, friends, lounge by the pool while everyone’s suffering with the bitter cold days or simply to get away for a day or two. I take to the skies at least two times a year. I haven’t really had any dreadful experiences. Though I will say this, don’t watch any crazy shows that have anything to do with flying, that just makes me more nervous.
I’m a pretty causal and laid back flyer. I tend to keep my outfit as simple as possible, nothing with belts, sandals (or shoes I can easily slip on/off), keep the liquids to a minimum and pack that in a 1 qt bag, and keep that on top of my carry on, so I can take it in and out. Often times, I check my bags, but if I’m just traveling for two or three days I carry on my luggage. I rarely panic unless I know my flight’s leaving in 20 minutes or less and I still haven’t gotten through security, then I start panicking. But that’s only happened once, and when we got to the gate, the flight was delayed. Ugh, no one knew that until they told us right when the flight was supposed to be taking off.
Anyway, one of my biggest issues is that I’m not the kind of person that’s going to state that I’m deaf first thing, simply because I really don’t want to board the plane first. I hate being trapped in such a small amount of space, and if I get really unlucky, I might end up next to some people that, oh you don’t want to know what I’m thinking. And the one time I did mention that I was deaf, I ended up being escorted on the plane first. Being checked on like 20 times during the entire flight, and was escorted all the way to the person who was picking me up at the airport. it was the most BIZARRE thing ever. The only reason why I had mentioned I was deaf, was because the plane was being delayed numerous times, and there was no way of knowing unless I told them, so I wouldn’t miss my flight. Yeah, it was weird being escorted all the way to the car.
So over memorial day weekend, I decided to fly out of town (I’ve never really traveled during a holiday, but this trip wasn’t too bad). I didn’t have to wait in line to check any bags, I didn’t have to wait too long to get through security, and the flight was on-time. Ironically, I ended up sitting next to another DeafDC.com blogger. Small world, I say! She’s a different kind of traveler than I am. She likes to pre-board simply because she never knows when your row is being called. So it’s easier to just pre-board. It makes sense, but I would much rather, board when I’m supposed to board. I tend to guess when they call my row. But really, I don’t think I ever get it right. Who understand these intercom things?! But as we were talking, I thought it’d be so inexpensive to have one of those monitors where they can just tell you what rows are boarding, that way everyone can understand what’s going on.
On my flight back, I was on stand by, and the flight attendant said he’d call my name if I’m able to get on the flight. I told him I was deaf. So he just asked where I’d sit, and he’ll let me know if my name is called. So I waited till most people boarded, then they actually called my name and even though he was checking people on the flight, he remembered, and looked over in my direction and told me to go up to the desk. It was easy, but it can’t possibly be easy to remember people’s names all the time!
I’m curious, what do you think would make it easier for us to fly? All I want is something that makes it easy for me to understand the intercom if there are any delays, what rows they’re boarding, etc. That way I’m not constantly going up to the desk to find out what’s going on. Sometimes I’ll ask someone sitting by me, but it’s not guaranteed that I’ll understand what they said or that they’ll understand what the flight attendants on the intercom said.
Till next time, enjoy flying!
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I’ve been flying a lot for work lately, two trips to Texas in the last month. I only told someone once that I was deaf, and like you, that was because they kept delaying it and I wanted to know what was going on. They told me to board early, along with a man in a wheelchair, but I don’t remember anything else strange happening.
One of the last trips, I was traveling with my boss but we bought our tickets separately so we weren’t seated together. His ticket had a much earlier ‘group’ to board with (they are using groups now rather than rows - supposed to be more efficient - they actually have computer models that show the best way to load groups of people). I just guessed when it was my group’s turn, but I figured I was early, I just got sick of waiting. When I got to the ticket check a very strange thing happen, she actually LOOKED to see what group I was in and told me that I wasn’t there at the right time. To that I said “well, I can’t hear the announcements, so I figured I’d just come…” she cut me off and apologized several times and waved me through.
On the NEXT flight, the connection, I was trying to sleep and someone tapped me on the shoulder. There were THREE stewardesses standing there and one signed and maybe said “Are you deaf?”
I said, “Umm… I am hard of hearing…”
“Oh, Nobody told us!!!” exclaimed one of the stewardesses.
“Do you read lips?” asked another of them.
“Yes,” I said. And then they all left.
The guy next to me tried to use this opportunity to start a conversation… I told him how I had tried to board early on the previous flight and they must have tagged my name or something… in the end I couldn’t hear him and went back to sleep.
I do like flying with my boyfriend though, I never knew that all the yammering on the PA system before you land was them reading a list of cities and a list of gates. I just find a display monitor when I get off the plane.
I did notice that some airports have their stand-by list displayed on a monitor. That’s definitely helpful.
This past holiday weekend, my hearing daughter was to fly home, but her first flight was delayed and she missed her connection in the crush of New York City airport traffic. All passengers to various destinations were queued up for new tickets, when a new connecting flight FOR HOME was announced that was boarding RIGHT THEN! Panicked, she tried to get on it, but the lineup made it impossible to make it on time. Several hours (on standby) later, she finally bought a ticket on another airline to get home. The air trip took four times as long as it would have to drive home and back!
“I don’t know how you would have made it,” she told me, still angry with the airlines. I had flown before and had met similar comedies of errors despite being “babysat” by the airline and had nearly been flown to the wrong city. If not for my alertness to the information being displayed everywhere, I would have had to do the whole thing again in a different airport.
Trust me, being on your own is risking being delayed or misrouted as often as not. Having the airlines babysit you might make things a bit easier, and added to your own vigilance, you’d be more likely to have a happier, less stressful outcome.
It’s still a hearing world and the RULES ARE MADE BY HEARING PEOPLE FOR HEARING PEOPLE. Give them the chance to make it right by you. Life is too short to waste on everyday hearing snafus.
hahaha. It an be so funny sometimes how they can totally underestimate you. For instance, on my returning flight, the clerk at check-in asked me if I needed help at the airport I was flying in. I shooed him, with a gentle smile. He looked at me like, “are you sure?”. I wrote down on the paper I had, “I’m a freq flyer!”. He looked a little embarrassed for even asking, and I just smiled. It was kind of amusing.
I’ve learned to take those things in stride a long time ago. Just give them a gentle laugh, and shrug it off, so they’ll feel a little foolish, but not shamed by it.
Hopefully next time, they’ll think twice then..
Then there was that flight attendant who insisted at introducing herself to me. She was just so kind of annoying, although well-meaning, that I just didn’t bother to correct her when she spelled B-U-T-T-Y, not B-U-F-F-Y. *giggle*
I would’ve been evil and written back on paper, ‘It’s so nice to meet you, Butty! What an unique name!’ :D
I just hate when they cant make up their minds what they want at the security checkpoint. I am a frequent flyer, so I always dress appropriately with NO metal anywhere on my clothes or in my shoes. At some airports you dont HAVE to remove your shoes, but if you dont and they have metal in the soles you will be subject to longer search. at others you MUST remove your shoes. well since it changes so frequently, they simply yell it out rather than have signs instructing people.
last time I flew I didnt remove my shoes as usual and was scolded by the chickie at the belt. I told her I had thoroughly read all the signs and nowhere did it say I had to remove my shoes. she told me “thats why we yell it out every 30 seconds”. I pointed to my aids and muttered something about ADA. she was totally oblivious…
I made the mistake recently of telling the airlines I was deaf. I was greeted by the airline attendant and he mouthed “Do you read lips?” I shook my head NO because seriously I cant.
He came back a few moments later with pen and paper and wrote “Can you read?” I was so upset that I shook my head NO again, he looked at me and and his eyes kinda’ popped out and he got mad and stormed off.
urgh!
Usually, I didn’t bother to tell the airline staff that I am deaf.
But one day, I was seated, waiting for the rest of passengers to board the plane. As soon as the plane took off, the stewards started serving drinks and snacks.
I was busy looking out the window, oblivious to what was happening. Apparently one steward had been trying to call me and finally touched my shoulder. I told them I was deaf.
Of all sudden, I was told to move to another seat. Annoyed, I asked why. They pointed out I was sitting next to the fire escape door.
Guess that’s one of the reasons they want us to tell them ahead of time.
I vaguely recall that at least one airline company at one of the larger “hub” airports (like Dallas or St. Louis) had huge flat-screen monitors showing the row numbers being called for boarding. I loved that. But for the life of me, I can’t remember which airport nor airline …
ooh, another story… I had to pee SO bad, so I locked myself in the bathroom, before we took off.. and I took just too long (okay, so i was checking my makeup), when all of a sudden, the door latch unlocked by itself. Whoa!
I stepped out, and there was a whole line of people staring at me, giving me that, “who the **** are you?” look. I was like, whoa, um, ok, obviously someone was trying to get me out..
I watied near the bathroom, and when the flight attendant came back, it was obvious from her behavior that she wa sthe one who unlocked the door, and I explained to her, that I’m sorry, but I was deaf and didn’t hear the door knock, and I didn’t mean to scare everybody and all that.
it was all fine after that, and I just kind of muttered, “sorry” to everybody on the line, at least some of them stopped giving me the evil eye after I explained it all.
LOL!~
It would be awesome if there could be airport technology program (free!) that would buzz our phone/blackberry/sidekick with a flight-specific status text message about the most recent announcement. “Last call for boarding”, “Flight is delayed 30 minutes…”, “Row 20-25 now boarding.”
You should use google. Send a text message to 466453 with the airline code and flight number (eg. LH453) and it’ll give you the flight status.
Most airports I go to– Dulles, BWI & Reagan National all have tvs running while you wait in the security line. I’ve always seen everyone take their shoes off. I honestly don’t mind that. it’s the not knowing when I’m supposed to board.
I thought what bobby white went through was kind of funny. It’s those smart ass answers that make people go ???? And sometimes you have to have a sense of humor to do that kind of thing & hopefully the other person who’s leg you’re pulling has a sense of humor as well.
I used to not really bother with telling airline staff I am Deaf unless it comes up, but then I had a bad experience where due to bad storms, we were grounded for over an hour at one airport, ended up flying to a different city than my destination and then being grounded there for an over an hour, etc. etc. and I had NO idea what was going on - it was only thru the courtesy of a fellow traveler (a young college education major) who was studying ASL at school that I was able to discover what was happening. Turns out that the dumb stewardesses had the passenger list that stated I am Deaf (I did let this be known when I made my reservation)in their hands the whole time - if they had only stopped to READ the dang thing.
After that, I started letting it be known in advance, and requesting to board early. Call me a wimp, but I don’t fly too well to begin with and I wanted a chance to meet and talk to my stewardesses in advance. So far it has worked out okay.
I’m curious…what have been the experiences of those Deaf individuals who have traveled out of the country (international travel?) Does this present its own set of problems due to more complex procedures? (passport, checking luggage, etc. etc.)? It’s been MANY years since I have flown anywhere requiring a passport, and I just wonder if with today’s tighter security measures, this has become more problematic? (I still intend to visit Ireland one of these days!)
Interestingly, I find that international travel is much easier because of the heightened sense of awareness for people with disabilities. Also, cultural trends go into play, where Europe (generally speaking) is more family centered and have the “people first, work second” mentality, they have been much more hospitable. Therefore, air travel representatives have been more courteous and approachable. I also wonder if it is because of the ample air staff on hand…I flew Aer Lingus to Dublin a couple years ago and it was definitely smooth traveling. My flight was delayed and I simply wanted to take advantage of duty-free shopping and I just informed the attendant that I was deaf and wanted to know the general time frame for when to board. That was all I needed to know but once I returned to the gate, they acknowledged me and spoke to me about the latest status of the flight. (I would’ve been content waiting for a while but it was nice to know what to expect!) I do want to add one more point, the Irish ARE definitely the friendliest people around.
Stewardesses?
that term has been out of use for at least a decade or two….
:-)
Ahhh yes, I stand corrected.
Flight attendants.
I believe this is the current “politically correct” term?
;>)
yup….
BTW - did you know that the main role of a flight attendant is not to serve people drinks and food, but to keep the cabin under control and direct the evacuation in case of an emergency. They’re also the go-between for the pilot and the cabin.
Food? They serve food on flights, all I ever get is a bag of pretzels with 4 tiny mini pretzels inside.
well, yes. The good ol’ days of air line travels are now over. At least I can attest to the fact that US airlines in general have declined greatly in terms of service. I’d take a European airline any day - personally, I think Lufthansa is the best. Food is still good and decent and those feather pillows can’t be beat. Another plus of European airlines is that alcohol is still free. :-)
When I boarded an Aerocondor flight from South America, my mother-in-law boarded with us and declared to all the stewards, “Soy sordomudos” so that we would have no problems. Ay, ay, pero we did. On landing in Miami we were too late to make our connection, so were put up in a second-rate hotel. People shouted at us in the hotel, prevented us from going out to a restaurant even though their cafeteria was closed, and tried to force us to use their hotel transportation instead of calling a taxi in the morning. We were given tickets to the wrong city and missed our flight trying to exchange them. After arrival at home ten hours later, a letter with documentation to the airline was ignored and we never received even an apology. This was just after FCC regulations on foreign airlines came about, so it wasn’t necessary to undergo this at all.
Check the reputation of the airline, if you can, when using foreign-owned airlines.
Whoa. I would’ve probably flipped out at them and told them I do not appreciate being held hostage and that I would be calling the police if they didn’t let me go!
When the first set of people start boarding the plane, I just follow them and hand my ticket over to the person who is scanning the tickets. If she or he tells me to step back and wait for my boarding group, I just point at my ears and say, “I’m deaf.” After a “oohhh sure” and a nod, they just let me go in with the first set of boarding people. I’ve never gotten special treatment other than that. Works every time!