-01.png)
Here is a very good lesson in the power of using your network and being persistent in order to accomplish change. This is a conversation with VIP Peter Boulay (Profile) about a recent upsetting incident he experienced at the hands of the airline industry. -BIW
Peter Boulay: On June 29th, 2008 I flew out to Salt Lake City to go white water rafting with my brothers. I have a disability and thus special procedures are taken for me when I get off of planes. I made arrangements through Travelocity ahead of time to make sure everything was ok and followed up to make sure that everyone was aware of my needs. I flew out west from Rochester NY on Northwest Airlines and they treated me like gold.
Coming back from Salt Lake on Friday July 4th, I was riding on United Airlines. They got me on the plane, but during layover in Chicago they never came to get me off the plane. I ended up crawling out of the plane myself and getting into my wheelchair on my own. Fortunately the wheelchair was waiting for me. After that I filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation and tried to get in touch with United Airlines.
I was in touch with local congressional offices in November of 2008 to try to resolve this issue. There was no progress through this channel for six months, and I lost a lot of my momentum and motivation.
Finally, during the first week of April of this year I got a letter from the Department of Transportation. They had filed my complaint six months before but had forgotten about it. They basically told me the incident was my fault, that I did not follow the right directions. They blamed me for putting my travel plans through Travelocity, saying that Travelocity dropped the ball. They claimed they did not know that I needed help and that I only asked for help once I was in the terminal. This was another slap in the face, and motivated me to take further actions forward.
I remembered that Congressman Eric Massa’s Communications Director has a disability. I ended up giving her a call asking for advisement on this issue. Once Massa’s office heard about this, they exploded! They started to inquire on their own, to the point where this became a congressional inquiry. Under a congressional inquiry, people have to respond. The office got through to Travelocity and cleared Travelocity of any wrong after speaking with the company President.
The office has tried to get in touch with United Airlines, but United has not responded to them yet. I appeared on Channel 13 News (View clip here) at 6pm on the 21st of March and I was on the Brother Weeze Radio show two weeks ago.
Shawn Carroll of Channel 13 called United for the TV special. The Airline Company said “We knew he was there, we knew he needed help, but were waiting for a second person to help tag team me.” However, I never knew the first person was there. They keep on contradicting themselves.
United did send me a $150 gift certificate. I was told it was as a courtesy.
I have kept on using my network to push this issue. Recently I met Diane Coleman of Center for Disability Resources. It turns out that she is from Chicago. She has connections into the Mayor’s Office and the Commission for Disabilities. I got a call back from an individual in the Chicago City Government. He agreed that this is a systemic issue and is happening everywhere, Chicago being no exception. Currently they are exploring the issue.
BIW: Have you come across any similar cases that have been resolved properly?
PB: No. I have not.
BIW: What do you hope to see come of this?
PB: I am trying to make sure this does not happen again. Just imagine if this had happened to someone with a more extensive disability. I am asking for an admission of fault from United. I have the right to fly like any American does. I think we are going to get good results and I will continue to push this until it is resolved.
BIW: What is your advice to someone who is trying to do something like this?
PB: Use your resources. Use your Senators and your Congressmen. Eric Massa’s company was able to get through to the President of Travelocity. Look at the community resources and look at your network.
I want to also emphasize how great my Facebook contacts have been for this. I have shared the entire process on Facebook and the support has been phenomenal. It is a very interesting study in the power of new communication technologies through all of this.
BIW: There is a quote that comes to mind: “The system works if you work the system.” Thank you very much Peter for this story.
Peter Boulay: On June 29th, 2008 I flew out to Salt Lake City to go white water rafting with my brothers. I have a disability and thus special procedures are taken for me when I get off of planes. I made arrangements through Travelocity ahead of time to make sure everything was ok and followed up to make sure that everyone was aware of my needs. I flew out west from Rochester NY on Northwest Airlines and they treated me like gold.
Coming back from Salt Lake on Friday July 4th, I was riding on United Airlines. They got me on the plane, but during layover in Chicago they never came to get me off the plane. I ended up crawling out of the plane myself and getting into my wheelchair on my own. Fortunately the wheelchair was waiting for me. After that I filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation and tried to get in touch with United Airlines.
I was in touch with local congressional offices in November of 2008 to try to resolve this issue. There was no progress through this channel for six months, and I lost a lot of my momentum and motivation.
Finally, during the first week of April of this year I got a letter from the Department of Transportation. They had filed my complaint six months before but had forgotten about it. They basically told me the incident was my fault, that I did not follow the right directions. They blamed me for putting my travel plans through Travelocity, saying that Travelocity dropped the ball. They claimed they did not know that I needed help and that I only asked for help once I was in the terminal. This was another slap in the face, and motivated me to take further actions forward.
I remembered that Congressman Eric Massa’s Communications Director has a disability. I ended up giving her a call asking for advisement on this issue. Once Massa’s office heard about this, they exploded! They started to inquire on their own, to the point where this became a congressional inquiry. Under a congressional inquiry, people have to respond. The office got through to Travelocity and cleared Travelocity of any wrong after speaking with the company President.
The office has tried to get in touch with United Airlines, but United has not responded to them yet. I appeared on Channel 13 News (View clip here) at 6pm on the 21st of March and I was on the Brother Weeze Radio show two weeks ago.
Shawn Carroll of Channel 13 called United for the TV special. The Airline Company said “We knew he was there, we knew he needed help, but were waiting for a second person to help tag team me.” However, I never knew the first person was there. They keep on contradicting themselves.
United did send me a $150 gift certificate. I was told it was as a courtesy.
I have kept on using my network to push this issue. Recently I met Diane Coleman of Center for Disability Resources. It turns out that she is from Chicago. She has connections into the Mayor’s Office and the Commission for Disabilities. I got a call back from an individual in the Chicago City Government. He agreed that this is a systemic issue and is happening everywhere, Chicago being no exception. Currently they are exploring the issue.
BIW: Have you come across any similar cases that have been resolved properly?
PB: No. I have not.
BIW: What do you hope to see come of this?
PB: I am trying to make sure this does not happen again. Just imagine if this had happened to someone with a more extensive disability. I am asking for an admission of fault from United. I have the right to fly like any American does. I think we are going to get good results and I will continue to push this until it is resolved.
BIW: What is your advice to someone who is trying to do something like this?
PB: Use your resources. Use your Senators and your Congressmen. Eric Massa’s company was able to get through to the President of Travelocity. Look at the community resources and look at your network.
I want to also emphasize how great my Facebook contacts have been for this. I have shared the entire process on Facebook and the support has been phenomenal. It is a very interesting study in the power of new communication technologies through all of this.
BIW: There is a quote that comes to mind: “The system works if you work the system.” Thank you very much Peter for this story.
