I obtained an e-mail from a father who’s making an attempt to convey consideration to a latest incident he confronted when booked on an Air China flight from the USA, the place the airline denied boarding to his daughter, and is refusing to take accountability.
Air China denies disabled youngster boarding attributable to lack of physician’s be aware
Let me simply copy and paste the daddy’s model of occasions, because it’s fairly succinct:
On February 2, 2025, I arrived at JFK Airport (Terminal 1) with my daughter for Air China Flight CA982 to Beijing. Regardless of having all required journey paperwork and having flown internationally many instances earlier than, Air China refused to verify us in, falsely claiming my youngster wanted a physician’s letter to fly.
This demand was made at 11 PM, an not possible time to acquire any medical clearance. Once I requested written proof that this was an official coverage, the employees refused and as a substitute mocked me, telling me to “Google it.” They intentionally stalled for time till the flight departed, making no effort to help us.
Their true cause for refusing us boarding turned clear after they falsely recognized my daughter with an “irregular well being situation that might be harmful for the flight crew and different passengers.” This offensive and discriminatory declare was made by check-in employees, not medical professionals, and was solely fabricated.
My daughter is sort of 18 years outdated however is small and fragile (147 cm, 27 kg) attributable to developmental delays and epilepsy. She is not aggressive, not hyperactive, doesn’t scream or cry, and has by no means brought on any situation whereas flying. Air China’s label of “irregular well being situation” was nothing however a merciless and baseless excuse to disclaim her journey just because she has a incapacity.
The aim of this journey was medical therapy, and it wasn’t even the primary time that they traveled to China for this:
We had been touring to China for conventional Chinese language drugs (TCM) therapy for my daughter. This was not our first go to—this might have been our sixth or seventh journey for medical therapy with extremely expert Chinese language medical doctors. TCM has performed a important function in enhancing my daughter’s situation, and lacking this therapy has brought on a significant setback for her well being and well-being.
Following the incident, the passenger tried to get the airline to make issues proper, however right here’s what occurred:
After being pressured to depart the airport, I filed formal complaints with Air China and the U.S. Division of Transportation (DOT). Since then, Air China has:
- Repeatedly lied, claiming we by no means confirmed up for check-in on time, regardless of my proof proving in any other case.
- Refused to refund our unused tickets, regardless of their actions being unjustified.
- Delayed and ignored my makes an attempt to rebook, leaving me no selection however to purchase new tickets with one other airline.
- Tried to erase all information of the incident, displaying a whole lack of accountability.
That is the place airways actually fail passengers
I really feel horribly for this father and his daughter. Not solely was this clearly extremely inconvenient, however it was additionally distressing. Air China has a devoted webpage concerning the forms of passengers who require a be aware or certificates from a physician so as to have the ability to fly. I don’t see something there that may cowl this case, the place a be aware can be required.
That is such a significant space the place airways fail passengers. Let’s give the check-in employees the good thing about the doubt for a second, and assume they’d no in poor health intent. Even when that’s the case, ought to it actually be left as much as frontline employees to find out whether or not somebody has a situation or not that stops them from flying?
Wouldn’t there be some central assist cellphone quantity that the check-in employees might name, in order that this might be cleared centrally with somebody on the airline who has medical experience? The discretion of whether or not or not somebody has a situation that stops them from flying can’t be left as much as some check-in brokers with no medical data.
The worst half right here is that even after the denied boarding scenario, the daddy wasn’t capable of get anyplace with the airline. For instance, the airline has refused to refund the passengers for his or her unused tickets, regardless of them falsely being denied boarding.
That is the place customer support with airways is such a distinction to most different companies. Should you go to a lodge, or a restaurant, or a retailer, there’s normally an empowered supervisor you may converse to, who could make issues proper. Within the case of airways, you find yourself in a unending communication loop, the place nobody really is aware of what’s happening, and nobody is empowered to behave and discover a resolution.
In the end I feel the daddy has completed all the things he can on this scenario — he reached out to the airline and contacted the US Division of Transportation, and is now reaching out to media. Hopefully bringing some consideration to this case will trigger the airline to take motion, and make issues proper.
Backside line
A father was touring to China along with his disabled daughter for medical therapy. Nevertheless, whereas checking in with Air China in New York, the daughter was reportedly denied boarding attributable to lack of a physician’s be aware, but check-in employees refused to offer documentation of why, particularly, a physician’s be aware can be required. Sadly within the weeks because the incident, no progress has been made with making issues proper, and their unused tickets haven’t even been refunded.
What do you make of this Air China denied boarding scenario?
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