Deaf passengers refused on board a plane to be compensated by Iberia

Deaf passengers refused on board a plane to be compensated by Iberia
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By m.p. - Jun 1, 2009 - 5:03 PM
The three passengers who were told they could only fly in the company of a person with hearing will receive the symbolic amount of one euro

EFE

Iberia and its franchise Air Nostrum have been ordered to pay compensation to three passengers who an Air Nostrum captain refused to allow on a flight to Madrid from Melilla five years ago. The three already had their boarding cards, but were refused permission to board because they were deaf.

The company said they could only fly in the company of a person with hearing who could guarantee their safety, El Mundo reports.

The claim by the State Confederation of Deaf People and Cermi, an organisation which represents the disabled, was originally thrown out by a lower court in Madrid, but now the Madrid provincial court has upheld the appeal. The Audiencia ruled that, while deprived of hearing, a deaf person has ‘no other physical or intellectual limitations which would prevent their understanding of any emergency situation which may arise’. The judge deems the company’s actions to contravene the 2003 Equal Opportunities Law, and has ordered Iberia to take measures to put a stop to any further discrimination of disabled people.

Each of the three passengers will receive the symbolic amount of 1 € in compensation.

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