FIVE more disabled people announced they would join the lawsuit against Shenzhen Airlines for being discriminated against because they had been denied the right to board the airline s flights.
Five blind men including Ning Bowang and Yang Yang made the decision after Zheng Weining and Liu Haijun decided to sue the airline demanding 10 million yuan (US$1.51 million) in compensation last week, the Daily Sunshine reported yesterday.
Zheng had already engaged a lawyer, according to the Daily report.
Wheelchair-bound Zheng and Liu were refused check-in at Beijing Capital Airport for a flight from Beijing to Shenzhen last Tuesday because the airline thought they could be at risk in case of an emergency for which they could hold the airline liable.
After a strong protest, the airline let the disabled men board the flight but only after they signed a legal disclaimer saying Shenzhen Airlines would not be responsible if there was an accident.
The five blind men claimed only Shenzhen Airlines had refused them.
Ning told the Daily he had pleasant flights with a number of airlines such as China Southern Airlines but was humiliated by Shenzhen Airlines once.
Ning was asked by an airline employee: Are you able to eat? when he was flying from Shenzhen to Beijing on Nov. 9, 2010.
He was not allowed to board until he signed a disclaimer.
One of Ning s relatives who was also sight-challenged booked a flight by phone and also encountered resistance before finally being allowed to board his flight.
An unidentified employee said: We wouldn t have sold you the ticket if we had known [you were disabled].
Zhang Qihuai, a well-known aviation legal expert, said he had discussions with several other experts in the aviation industry and they all agreed that denying the disabled the right to board by Shenzhen Airlines is inappropriate or illegal and the requirement to sign a legal disclaimer offended the dignity of the disabled.
The legal disclaimer is an abuse of passengers rights. It is invalid excuse the airline does bear responsibility and should compensate.
A Department of Transport of the Civil Aviation Administration of China regulation that took effect April 30, 2009 stipulates that an aircraft with 51 to 100 seats can accommodate no more than two disabled passengers if they are unaccompanied, and an aircraft with 101 to 200 seats can accommodate no more than four disabled passengers.
(Tina Chen)
