Two blind passengers have been forced off a Hong Kong flight after crew decided they were a safety liability, disability advocates have said.
The two men, Andy Chui and John Li, were due to fly from Hong Kong to Tokyo in May 2024. They passed through check-in smoothly, were escorted to the departure gate and allowed to board the HK Express flight, but once aboard concerns were raised about the pair being unaccompanied.
The pair had successfully flown unaccompanied with other airlines in the past but this time were made to feel “insulted and embarrassed” and treated “as if we were criminals” they said at a press conference.
Safety concerns?
According to guidelines governing airline treatment of those with disabilities, operators are not allowed to refuse a reservation on the basis of disability, unless there are operational or safety concerns.
It is that excuse that HK Express are relying on however. The carrier, which is a subsidiary of the world’s fifth best airline Cathay Pacific, explained that “differing judgments made by the ground staff and aircrew,” led to a referral to management. This didn’t happen in time for the duo to take the original flight but they were “re-accommodated on a later flight of their choice on the same day to their destination” once it was confirmed “the two passengers could travel safely without a companion.”
HK Express commercial director KK Ong said sorry to the two flyers in separate comments that nonetheless reiterated the carrier’s safety line. “The decision made by the aircrew was entirely based on safety considerations, and the on-duty staff accompanied the two passengers as they left the cabin,” he said. “We sincerely apologize for the delay and inconvenience caused to the two passengers.”
Punitive action
But Billy Wong Chun-hang, president of the Blind Union, told the South China Morning Post on Sunday they had members who had flown on their own since the 1970s. “According to the guidelines, whether a person is fit for travelling alone on a plane or not has nothing to do with their eyesight, but mobility and cognitive ability, including whether they can fasten a seat belt or not,” he said.
He also denounced the current aviation industry approach to accessibility and, speaking to CNN called for new enforcement protocols to “ensure that companies comply with these guidelines and that there are punitive measures when companies discriminate against people with disabilities.”
