Decision No. 621-AT-A-2006
November 10, 2006
IN THE MATTER OF Decision No. 75-AT-A-2006 dated February 10, 2006 - Mary Loch and Marjorie Oszust vs Skyservice Airlines Inc. carrying on business as Skyservice.
File No. U3570/05-41
In its Decision No. 75-AT-A-2006 dated February 10, 2006 (hereinafter the Decision), the Canadian Transportation Agency (hereinafter the Agency) made a determination with respect to an application filed by Mary Loch and Marjorie Oszust with respect to the level of wheelchair assistance provided by Skyservice Airlines Inc. carrying on business as Skyservice (hereinafter Skyservice) at the airport in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic on November 17 and December 1, 2004, and with respect to the seats assigned to them on their flight from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to Puerto Plata on November 17, 2004.
The Agency found that the seats assigned to Mrs. Loch and Mrs. Oszust on their Skyservice flight from Edmonton to Puerto Plata did not constitute an undue obstacle to their mobility. The Agency further found that the level of wheelchair assistance provided by Skyservice to Mrs. Loch and Mrs. Oszust at the airport in Puerto Plata constituted an undue obstacle to their mobility. As such, the Agency directed Skyservice to take the following corrective measures as set out in the Decision and indicated that it will review the appropriateness of the measures taken by Skyservice.
- Review the situation encountered by Mrs. Loch and Mrs. Oszust and develop policies and procedures to ensure that Skyservice and/or the contractors it uses to provide wheelchair assistance at the airport in Puerto Plata have sufficient wheelchairs at their disposal to offer an appropriate level of service to persons with disabilities in order to avoid the recurrence of incidents similar to the ones experienced by Mrs. Loch and Mrs. Oszust, and report back to the Agency.
- Issue a bulletin to its service personnel in Puerto Plata outlining the importance of the awareness of and sensitivity to the particular needs of travellers with disabilities. The bulletin should point out that when requests for wheelchair assistance have been made, the carrier should ensure that an adequate supply of wheelchairs are available at the airport in Puerto Plata in order that persons with disabilities receive the services they have requested and require.
On March 27, 2006, Skyservice requested an extension of time to comply with the requirements of the Decision. In its Decision No. LET-AT-A-97-2006 dated April 10, 2006, the Agency granted Skyservice the requested extension until April 21, 2006. On April 10 and 25, 2006, Skyservice filed its responses to the Decision.
CONCLUSION
The Agency has considered the measures taken in response to the Decision and is satisfied that Skyservice has met the requirements of the Decision. As such no further action is necessary in this matter.
Members
- Guy Delisle
- Baljinder Gill
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