92001E3679

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3679/01

by Astrid Thors (ELDR) to the Commission

(17 January 2002)

Subject: The needs of blind people when travelling

A Finnish citizen, Lotta Lamminen, participated in an event organised in connection with the October session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

As a blind person, Ms Lamminen is normally entitled to bring her guide dog with her into the cabin of the plane and keep it with her throughout the flight. However, this time the ground staff of Air France in Strasbourg refused to accept this arrangement. It was only after lengthy discussions with the staff of the flight company and a conversation with the manager of the airport that Ms Lamminen was entitled to bring her dog along with her.

The experience of travelling in a box in cargo would most probably have been frightening for the dog and prevented it from helping Ms Lamminen according to its normal capacities for several days.

Has the Commission taken any measures to ensure that blind people's needs when travelling are taken into due consideration by flight companies?

Answer given by Mrs de Palacio on behalf of the Commission

(20 February 2002)

The Commission attaches great importance to ensuring that disabled people, including blind people, can travel like any other citizen

It has pushed Community airlines to prepare and adopt a voluntary commitment on service to passengers, which includes meeting the needs of disabled people. Under this schemes airlines commit themselves, among other things, to carry certified guide dogs in the cabin free of charge, subject to importation and other regulation. Air France is among the companies that have signed the commitment and will begin implementation in February 2002.

Valuable as such commitments are, the Commission believes that the rights of disabled people are so basic that they must be guaranteed by law. It intends later this year to present proposals for legislation on airlines' contracts with passengers that, among other things, would create rights for disabled people. This paper will discuss, among other things, how best to meet the needs of blind and other disabled people. Before proposing this legislation, the Commission will consult interested parties by means of a consultation paper, that will naturally be made available to the Parliament