Tom sent a message to Gary C. Kelly Chairman, President, and CEO, Southwest Airlines Co. – email address that said:
Attention: Mr. Gary C. Kelly, CEO/CHAIRMN
Americans With Disabilities Act
Hobby Airport
Houston, Texas
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
BLIND PASSENGER, HAROLD
HOUSTON (8:10AM, 6-15-2016)
To ALBUQUERQUE (9:15AM)
Travel Time 2hrs 5 minutes
RE: SW AIRLINES COULD NOT CARE LESS ABOUT THIS BLIND PASSENGER, NOR THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
My name is Tom. My BLIND neighbor asked me to give him a ride to Hobby Airport this morning for a flight.
We got to the airport and stopped at the first SW airlines sign where you approach the passenger drop off area in your car.
There were FOUR Southwest Airlines employees standing there under the sign.
They refused to help this passenger, and said he must go to the other far end of the drop off area to get a wheelchair. I put Mr. Cummiford, who is BLIND, back in the car and drove him to the far end of the passenger drop off area where there were approximately five or six SW employees, none of whom offered to help this blind person holding a SW airlines ticket. So I struggled to get the wheelchair open and get him seated in it. I went over to a SW employee at the curbside baggage check in there and told them a BLIND passenger needed assistance checking in and I was told he NEEDED to go back to the far end of the airport we just came from to check in his baggage, so I took him back down to where we had just come from and was told by a SW employee he NEEDED to get in line to check his baggage. I tried to explain he is BLIND and I was just dropping him off, but he was made to get in line, so I stayed with him WHILE I WAS ILLEGALLY PARKED BACK DOWN AT THE OTHER FAR END OF THE AIRPORT DROP OFF AREA !
After being in line for a while, and voicing some complaints out loud, ANNIE came over to take charge and get Harold, A BLIND MAN, checked in.
I told her that SW employees have no clue as to what they are, or should be, doing and that she should bring it up in a meeting. She said she does not get invited to meetings. I left my name and landline phone number for a manager to call me about this. I dropped this BLIND MAN off at your airline at 5:55AM and am now back home at 7:24AM and have received no call.
I AM WORRIED WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THIS BLIND MAN WHO IS UNDER THE CARE CUSTODY AND CONTROL OF SOUTHWEST AIRLINES TODAY.
I PLAN TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER THIS TREATMENT OF A DISABLED AMERICAN WHO FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY IN WORLD WAR TWO.
Totally disgraceful treatment of a veteran !
Sincerely,
Thomas
P.S.
7:36AM
Your employee, Rob, just called me at home and inferred that I was not telling him the truth about what happened this morning.
CAN'T ANYONE AT SOUTHWEST DO ANYTHING RIGHT TODAY ?
