NEW YORK (Reuters) - A wheelchair-bound woman with no limbs sued Air France for discrimination on Friday, alleging she was kept off a flight by a gate agent who told her a "torso cannot possibly fly on its own."
Adele Price, 42, a British citizen, sued the airline in Manhattan federal court seeking unspecified damages.
Price, who was born without limbs because her mother took the drug thalidomide during pregnancy, said in the suit she is able to manipulate a wheelchair and has traveled by air many times.
The suit states that she had bought a ticket in 2000 for travel between Manchester, England and New York. After Price had checked her luggage, she alleged that she was stopped by an Air France agent who told her that "a head, one bottom and a torso cannot possibly fly on its own."
Price said in the suit that Air France let her take another flight to New York but only after she was able to get a companion to go with her. However, Price said she had to pay for the companion's airfare and lodging.
She said the airline also made it difficult for her to return from John F. Kennedy airport to Britain by requiring her to get opinions from four U.S. doctors certifying she was able to fly alone.
A spokeswoman for Air France had no immediate comment.
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on August 15, 2004 09:30:08 AM new
I can't believe nobody has commented on this.
What's the matter, isn't it political enough for the round table? How about if I mention that John Kerry is very French-looking and he has a torso as well?
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We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing -- Anonymous
posted on August 15, 2004 09:48:14 AM new
Replay.. I guess we are all pretty much speechless about this..
Air France didn't give any specific reasons why "a head, one bottom, and one torso" (their words,not mine).. couldn't fly alone.
So there is no legitimate reason to not allow her to fly..IMO
If she required special medical or physical help that the airlines was not capable of providing..that might be a reason to deny her.. but she has flown before so that didn't seem to be the problem...
It seems to me that it was just a simple case of discrimination.. and I think she should receive an apology from the Airlines and compensated for her extra expenses. dolittle
posted on August 15, 2004 10:15:44 AM new
Replay, I was disgusted by it but realized that since many, many disabled people have flown Air France before this had to be a case of "bad clerk-itis".
posted on August 15, 2004 10:46:45 PM new
Limbless Woman Says Air France Wouldn't Allow Her On Board
POSTED: 7:12 pm EDT August 13, 2004
UPDATED: 7:18 pm EDT August 13, 2004
NEW YORK -- A limbless woman sued Air France Friday, saying she was prevented from boarding a flight four years ago by an airline employee who insulted her, saying "a head, one bottom and a torso cannot possibly fly on its own."
Adele Price, 42, of Mansfield, England, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, seeking unspecified damages and including the quote in her claim.
Price said she suffered emotionally, psychologically and endured large expenses as she tried to complete a trip from Manchester, England to New York on Aug. 8, 2000. She said she paid someone else to fly with her and eventually completed the trip.
At a news conference outside federal court, Price said an Air France employee in Manchester told her "one head, one bottom and one torso cannot and will not be allowed to fly on Air France" without someone to help them.
Price said she was born with birth defects caused by the leprosy-treating drug thalidomide, which was taken by her mother during pregnancy.
Chris Maio, a spokeswoman for Societe Air France, said she had just learned about the lawsuit and did not have enough information to comment.
Sniping works up a thirst"