Delta makes woman with muscular dystrophy crawl off plane

Lawsuit!! Haha

May Delta and it's employees on duty that day, get exactly what they desserve next time they need help. Boycott delta, and sue em big!

Unfortunately this is a sad reality.

My handicap cousin lives with a number of handicaps. She is dependent on special care. It took her family until she was twelve years old to find and afford proper schooling to fill simple, yet crucial, needs. Since then she is doing beautifully in academics, socializing, and learning how to depend on herself for basic needs that my family did not know how to address.

This is a terrible occurrence that has finally brought light to these sort of needs.

We need to be aware of these necessary accommodations because they may be more urgent in the future. *cough*fluoride-in-water*cough*

/takes the bus

Devils Advocate Why is it the job of every other person on the planet to help someone who does something they cant do. Its called personal responsiabilty. This woman knows her limiations but made no arrangment to have a flying parnter? or try to make other plans? not everyone should do everything. If you in a walker maybe mountain climbing isnt for you. If you need to fly somewhere and cant do it yourself either A) fly with someone that can help u or B) make arrangements with the airline ahead of time so they will have the people in place for it(all airlines will do this, i know from personal experience) but please dont expect that people are gonna just gonna hop to just to make things right for you cause you have a whim to goto Florida. They have a business to run and cant stop the whole show for one person.

simply unbeleiveable, having no heart is becoming more and more common in the world, even if its not your job, just f***in do it!!!!

I'm disgusted.

SHE SHOULD SUE THEM NOW!!! Sue the airline!!!

it kills me that these employees won't help someone less fortunate than them just because its not in their job description. there shouldnt be any specific "appropriate personnel" to deal with helping customers.

Sounds like the airline companies are no longer viable businesses but more like a torture camp for passengers.

This is probably one of the many reasons this
airline is going under!!

this is dispicable. What happened to policies to help disabled people on that airline? And the staff had to *debate* about whose job it was?? some humanity would've been nice there... Really hope they review their policies.

How sad! Yet one more example of mans unhumanity to man.
Has the world forgotten the golden rule???
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto
you."
What has happened to compassion? Like manners,
respect, loyality it is an undangered species!!!!!!!

truly American....

They made her crawl....they made her crawl....

What happened to the days when people were proud to be of service to a fellow human being? When they realized that it was a blessing to the one being served and to the one doing the serving. It is not an inconvenience, but an honor to help someone in need.
Doing nice things for others starts a ripple effect that benefits all involved.

The airline industry in general appears to be in a tailspin, no pun intended.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association of America must come out and denounce this corporate bigotry.

I know he had his own troubles this week, trying to bring an unloaded pistol on board an airliner, but where is Jerry Lewis's voice in this story? Why has he not gone directly to Delta's CEO and asked for an apology and commitment to fully observing the Americans with Disabilities Act?

There is only thing to do when you see a story like this. Until Delta fires that flight crew, gives this disabled person an apology and compensation, and makes a commitment to observing the Americans with Disabilities Act, boycott Delta Airlines.

Namaste!

this makes me sick to my stomach, what ever happened to people not needing a reason to help others and just doing it out of the kindness of your heart.

The man who waited on her to get out of the bathroom and such sounds like the only decent one there.

Delta didn't do shit! your blaming a company as if it was an entity that decided to mistreat the woman. It was workers, people like you and me that didn't want the chore of helping this woman. Delta has the responsibility to react to their employees actions, and I can think of thousands of reasons to hate delta, but this is not an example of one.

How unsatisfied are you in your career that you would go so far as to neglect a person with needs because it isn't in your job description? Who the fuck has an outline of what exactly their job is? What you put into this world should reflect who you are as a person. If you don't give a shit, may you get in a car crash and die on your way home from work... or you could just get a different job- and let someone who actually cares take yours.

I'm surprise they didnt wheel her out to the runway and give her a push and tell her to flap her arms!!! This is very FUCKED UP INDEED!! And the tsa is not any better at customer service either you know.

It starts from the top down, management does not care about the employees and the employees have stopped caring about the people.
Get even refuse to fly Delta and get others to do the same.
If the airline people do not want to do their job, maybe they don't need a job.

people dont care about their jobs the same as they used to...
they're all just in it for the paycheck, hence the "its not part of my job description" attitude...

Sounds like confused airline people mixed with a severely handicapped person attempting to fly alone. I haven't read up on any ADA laws, but obviously Delta needs to. On the other hand, this lady is expecting someone to feed and bring her to the bathroom, which would be a service more costly than normal air travel.
Airports are ridiculous, people in airports even more so.

A little embarrased Delta?
you should be.
it was probably a bunch of snot nosed kids running that place or people w/ no type of consideration.

ii386, normally, a person requiring a wheelchair will indeed be provided with one at both the departure and arrival airport, and a member of the staff - be it airport staff or airline staff - will push the wheelchair and cater to the handicapped passenger's needs such as going to the bathroom, to the bar or restaurant, etc. They will be wheeled onboard the plane before all the other passengers, and wheeled off the plain on arrival.

Everyone is getting on the employees ass and overlooking that "the appropriate personnel were not responding." I see how these people don't want to lose their job. I think this lady should've prepared her own personal nurse/family/someone to assist her, knowing the condition she has and how much care she requires. Don't get me wrong, she should have been provided a wheelchair, but personally wheeled around? Bring her to the bathroom? to get food? Really? I haven't been to the airport in years so please let me know if that personal assistance seems normal and provided to all handicapped people. Not being provided a wheelchair is wrong, but i don't see the airline's responsibility here, i see a lack of courtesy definitely

WTF? See what humanity is coming to? Wish I could bitch slap the person that was responsible.

Delta Airlines, you are despicable. I am sick and tired of employees, of any company, ignoring the needs of the people who pay their paychecks because it is "not their job" to deal with this or that. As an employee of Delta Airlines, or any company for that matter, you take on the responsibility of ambassador for that business. If you turn your back on the needs of a customer, you have just failed your company and should be disciplined accordingly. I say, fire every single one of the people working for Delta Airlines who failed to assist Julianna in her travel. They are all useless and suck at life.

i really hate ppl like that. they should all be fired. how would they feel if they were handicapped? sadly, i don't think any of them will be fired...but hopefully they'll start hiring ppl with more concern for humanity.

That's so wrong.

delta sucks! delta sucks!delta sucks!

Welcome to the new Dark Ages.

Hey, at least they waited until they had landed... could've been way worse '-)

Well, if you are ever flying in or out of Denver, try Frontier Airlines. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. And I used to work for Delta.

someone's gettin' fired!

the "no ones job" line makes me so pissed. Its not like she was asking them to give her their first born child for crying out loud. To deny someone their dignity because you are lazy is disgusting. I hope those people have to rely on someone for their basic needs some day and get totaly f'ed!

The CEO will say he'll do something but he's not going to do much. Jeez, I can't believe people, man. Does it really take that much to help someone?

How does anyone do something like this??

this is a horrible story and I hope Delta airlines really takes a step to improve there service! Not only was it unprofessional but it shows a complete lack of responsibility and emotion from the workers who tried to "deal" with Juliana.

Damn.. some people just have no heart and only do things if its their "job" to do it.. and how in the world could ya'll vote this down????

Wow! We have some bastards down here at current huh? 18% has voted this Down? Some Airline workers around here? No?

"I can’t believe how many times I’ve heard “it’s not my job “. Well then what the fuck are they paying you for-to come up with excuses why you can’t help the person ultimately paying your salary?"

I cannot say how many times I have heard the garbage espoused in the later part of that statement. Usually when people throw out the "its not my job" statement is when jackass customers come in on their high horse and begin making demands of you that may be unreasonable, or want you to do something that YOU ARE NOT PAID TO DO.

I am sure that the people working at Delta who made those comments make less than those whose jobs it actually was to aid her and were not about to go above and beyond for nothing more than the $12.50 an hour that they are making. If she is so in need of assistance, then maybe she should consider hiring a personal assistant.

We need a high speed train. I'd ride that.

Its sounds like she needed a caregiver. Delta is not a caregiver and shouldn't be expected to go outside of normal assistance because someone is unprepared. A lack of preparation does not constitute an emergency on my part.

Oh my god, they made her crawl down the ramp because no one would bring her a wheelchair. Someone needs to be fired!!

I've worked for the disability services at my old college and if any of the employees or students heard of this, they would be outraged just as I am. I have personally worked with a student with muscular dystrophy and I have come to understand through working with various students that some people are actually afraid of the disabled or disadvantaged. But this incident is simply ridiculous. Where is human compassion? I hope that she gets a good lawyer who knows the Americans with Disabilities Act very well.

karma is a bitch.
every single person "mentioned" in this story will get theirs.

I really don't know why anyone flies anymore. Between the horrible treatment by the airlines and the thieves working for Thousands Standing Around (TSA), incompetant bunch- they missed a 4.5" spring assist folding knife in my carry on but investigated a 30' Stanley tape measure, who treat everyone like criminals it makes me wonder just how much indignity we are willing to put up with.
If we think the American people are not willing to part with their freedom and Bill of Rights in exchange for security need only look at the airports.

Nooo....*shakes head*

We have given so many freedoms away to fly and we expect them to treat us with some sort of respect?

As if they care.

Another reason I would never at my own will fly Delta or pay for a Delta flight. I would rather take a Greyhound bus. Cold air and hours of not being bothered or molested by airport "security".

You can't treat people like that. She should definitely look into suing or getting something as an apology from the company.

nobody could just find the desency to help her?

what a sad world we live in

Land of the Free... who ever told you that is your enemy--RATM.

'Its not my job'? Who the hell are these people?

that sucks! Poor lady

This could have happened on any airline. I think I'll take my teachings from A New Earth and Conversations With God and go check out something else.

Remember when the airlines actually cared about their passengers because they were paying customers & competition kept them eager to retain your business? This is an outrageous example of the pathetic service that permeates are society in so many industries that deal with the public, in person or otherwise. I can’t believe how many times I’ve heard “it’s not my job “. Well then what the fuck are they paying you for-to come up with excuses why you can’t help the person ultimately paying your salary?

These situations start at the top & eventually work their way down to the “dealing with the public” level. I know I’m far more selective with whom I do business because I’m tired of being treated like shit by someone who acts like they’re doing me a favor when they’re actually just doing their job-that’s why it’s called work. What goes around comes around. Life is hard enough when you’re healthy. Let’s hope Julianna’s attorney is working on a nice big settlement for her & some “free publicity” for Delta.

What awful treatment. I get bad enough service from some airlines. I can't image being disabled and needing to deal with that level of apathy.

I never fly Delta. I hope Branson's Virgin America takes over the country with good service.

What ever happened to policies like customer service comes first and the customer is always right? One would think that these companies would have figured out by now that treating all of their customers well when providing a service is the way to build and maintain a good service business.

My heart goes out to this woman, not as much for this terrible incident, but because I know she will not forget how she was made to feel by the people involved. This is why it is not so much her problem as it is everyone problem because at some point in time everyone without exception will need help from a stranger.

Sounds like a really annoying, entitled, and rude handicapped person that no one wanted to help because she used her disability for attention and extra special treatment, mired as she is in the abject grief of her condition. poor thing.

This is so deeply in violation of the A.D.A.

I hope this woman sues the fuck out of Delta. I hate the airlines...

This is not a Delta problem, this is a HUMAN problem.

If I were the CEO of Delta I would personally escort her on her next flight wherever she wants to go, which of course would be free. Then I would review my company's policies and ADA compliance.

Sounds like an american airline to me

Have people forgotten the gratification you get when you help somebody in need. Not that gratification should be the number one reason. Helping a person in need should be every body's job.

What do they mean "no one's responsibility"? Customer service isn't ANYONE at Delta's responsibility? This is a disgrace! I work in the developmental disability field and to treat people like this is unbelievable- how are they going to make her CRAWL around? People need to read this story and others like it because discrimination towards the disabled population is wide spread but rarely talked about or dealt with! Great post as always, goldenways!

whats that i smell? lawsuit.

anyways, wow, that's terrible. people drive me nuts. how hard is it, honestly, to be nice to others, especially those in need. drives me nutty

Reason #24,563,546,765 that Delta is bankrupt.

I'm never flying with Delta

What a bunch off assholes. Human compassion people!

As of 6:17pm Ohio time, this article as been voted down over 300% even though this is a decent story.

I suspect foul play.

This rips my heart out. America, I think we might be doin' it wrong.

"....because it was no one's job ...."

Wrong, wrong, wrong. Taking care of any customer's legitimate needs is every employee's job. No exceptions!

Delta has a serious attitude problem among its employees and they need to fix it. Unfortunately, instead of seeing this as a systemic problem, they will probably look for an individual to blame it on.

No wonder the airlines are going broke.

That was cold. I hope that's not how they always are at Delta.

delta = scumbags