Monthly Archives: June 2017

Michael Hingson Joins Aira as Director of Strategic Sales

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Hello My dear friends….I am pleased to announce that I have joined Aira and the Director of Strategic Sales!

aira technology helps guide the blind and the visually impairedHere’s a note from our CEO, Suman Kanuganti, on his relationship with Me:

“I’ve known Michael Hingson for about three years, now. In that time, he’s taught me a lot about subjects too numerous to list, but not least of which was blindness. He was instrumental in making Aira happen thanks to his love and excitement for the technology that we were building. He took me to a lot of meetings and introduced a number of advocates who would, over time become friends of Aira, board members and the like. Michael is always helping us seek responses to Aira from the community and find ways we can improve it. He is talented, funny, and more importantly a good friend. All the work we did together while he was an advisor led us to continue engaging him on more and more projects. I am super excited that he’s agreed to join Aira in a full-time capacity. Having someone like Michael believe in Aira means a lot to me and everyone on the team. Together, we’re going to get Aira in the hands of millions.” Continue reading →

As Airlines Try To Monetize Seat Assignments, Are Disabled Passengers Being Left Behind?

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I was mentioned in this blog post by BY | June 5th, 2017
 

Flying with a disability is never easy, but in the past, airlines have lightened the burden a little by offering passengers such as Scott Nold advance seat assignments.

Nold, a retired bus dispatcher from Madison, S.D., who has multiple sclerosis, travels in a wheelchair. “So he requires an aisle seat,” says his wife, Deb Nold.

But on a recent American Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Dallas, their airline balked when she requested one. He could have a confirmed aisle seat in the front of the aircraft, she was told, but he’d have to pay another $36.

Not so long ago, passengers with disabilities were practically guaranteed better seats at no additional cost — usually an aisle or bulkhead seat near the front of the plane in economy class. Continue reading →

Blind Californians and Advocates Sue Greyhound

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Lawsuit Alleges Blind People Cannot Use Greyhound Website or Mobile App

Greyhound’s new buses include the MCI D4505 (above) and Prevost X3-45. (PRNewsFoto/Greyhound Lines, Inc.)

San Francisco (June 12, 2017): In February of 2015 Tina Thomas, who is blind, was planning a trip from her home in Los Angeles to Las Vegas to visit family and friends. She tried to book the trip on Greyhound.com, but her text-to-speech software couldn’t interpret Greyhound’s website. She called Greyhound to book her trip, explaining that she could not use the website, but Greyhound still charged her a “convenience fee” for booking by phone. She tried to use the website again earlier this year, but the experience had not improved.

Ms. Thomas and four other blind Californians, along with the National Federation of the Blind, have now sued Greyhound in federal district court. The lawsuit alleges that Greyhound has designed its website and app so that they cannot be used by the blind. This violates the Americans with Disabilities Act and state laws, the lawsuit says. Continue reading →