Disabled people may take warning:
My loving wife unfortunately is 100% disabled and must use a walker to move around. She has had numerous trips to Honolulu for her medical attention because the Big Island is not equipped nor do we have a medical faculty with the specialized professionals for her care. That being said, one would recognize that she and I are seasoned travelers. When ever possible I escort her because she needs a wheelchair at airports. There are times that I can’t go because of expense or time needed to escort her, this last trip was one of them.
Her insurance and Doctors are thru Kaiser and they only have a clinic here so they arrange her flight information thru an agent. This enables her to fly “handicapped” and with an escort when possible. I escorted her to the gate a week ago to get her on the flight. On her return she required a porter to push her wheelchair from arrival to the curb. A young lady functioning as a porter for Hawaiian got the call. As she was pushing Barbara the porter keep telling her that “they” only make money thru their “tips” My wife who is all heart started digging thru her purse looking for some cash to give her and only came up with two dollars, the porter took it and left her sitting in the wheelchair at the curb. I arrived 60 seconds later and she had tears in her eyes and was all wet. I inquired what’s wrong and all she could say was please get me home. In the car she explained that the porter almost demanded money and when she could only come up with two dollars the porter took it and left. The porter left her at the curb and not under any shelter as she was walking away it began to rain and Barbara is not adequate for propelling a wheelchair herself. A good Samaritan pushed her under shelter but she got soaked anyway. Barbara was embarrassed to tears because of her disability and the fact that she didn’t have enough money to give the porter.
This situation is wrong and I’m pissed off, disabled and handicapped people need to be respected and Hawaiian Airlines and this porter have put me on the warpath. May thanks to the good person that pushed my wife under shelter, bless you and yours.[  !]
The Lack
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I assume you have made the call to Hawaiian Air...
Please post up what they had to say...
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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
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I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
The Wilder Side Of Hawaii
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all the best to you and your wife, tom!
we did not have quite the experience as your wife upon departing honolulu and arriving in hilo. the hawaiian airlines' employees transfered mom from her personal wheelchair to theirs, of course with our assistance--they didn't seem to know how to maneuver her into their chair. the same thing happened when they tried to get her out and transfer her into the handicapped seat. we absolutely did not feel obligated to tip. if the porter was not employed by the airlines and capable of transferring mom without hurting her, we would have tipped.
don't get me wrong. we do tip when it's warranted. take for instance the porter that checked in our 6 bags and two boxes. we all know that hawaiian airlines (and i think most other airlines) is still charging a fee for every checked in piece. the porter told us that he had, "taken care of it" and we didn't pay anything except a huge tip to him.
"chaos reigns within.
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Tom... I believe the Porters are contracted through the Airport and not the Airlines.
"Upon request, airlines will provide assistance to passengers with special needs through their Porter (skycap) services. Porters affiliated with your airline are able to provide assistance in checking in your luggage for departures. Wheel chair service for arrivals and departures is provided upon request by the airlines. Please advise your airline in advance to arrange for any special services to ensure assistance."
Let me know if you want me to dig a bit deeper.
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The Lack - Tom, our heart goes out to you and your wife - it saddens and angers us to no end.
To be blessed with a whole functioning body and then abuse someone less fortunate and in need of just a little kindness [V]. Plain common decency - respect of one human being for another - where have they gone!
Last January, our daughter with our 2 1/2 month old granddaughter was leaving Hilo - along with all the luggage necessary to keep a newborn dry and happy - Nana wanted every available minute with little Hannah - she hailed a porter with an empty cart - after loading, recieving a tip, he informed the ladies that the going rate was $2.00 a bag - which they then paid.
If porters at airports are now - independent contractors - no longer paid by the airport or airlines - notices should be posted to inform the public!
If a set fee is now the standard - notices should be posted to inform the public!
If you are working for just "tips" - and you need/want a certian amount - you should be forthright in asking BEFORE you engage your client. Once engaged - whatever "tip" you get is what you get - period - after the fact it's EXTORTION!
Time will tell - I'm listening?
Time will tell - I'm speaking?
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Your poor wife! That is outrageous and devoid of aloha.
I am unclear, though, about who is and is not a porter at the Hilo airport. Is it just the workers in red uniforms, or others as well?
Last year I was walking toward the rental car kiosks and a young (early to mid 20s) Caucasian fellow in one of those red uniforms started calling abuse toward me across the street. At first I thought he was yelling something to someone behind me, but after a couple moments started figuring out what he was saying and realized it was directed toward me. I was wearing a "Strength Through Peace - Dennis Kucinich for President 2008" tee shirt at the moment; the guy in the red uniform was really going off about it, ranting (way worse than one hears on talk radio; it was beyond unpleasant and well into hostile and abusive). I just smiled, waved, said "Aloha!" in reply, and kept moving toward the rental counter (before the rest of the herd just off the jet arrived and it took 45 minutes longer to get out of there).
Seems like the airport firms could afford to be a bit more choosy about who is retained, especially given the significance of tourism to the economy and how word of mouth works on eroding the Big Island image of aloha when people have these sorts of interactions at the Hilo airport.
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Posts: 2,014
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WOW, that sux - Big time. Give your wife an extra hug.
We've been doing the wheel chair/disabled thing for 10 years now. Truly amazing, but not in a good way the experiences can be. I always feel I should tip, and was once told that that tip should be based on time/distance. Overall, we have had some great service and some interesting conversations too. I always felt HNL was something of a hassle when landing because they kinda bring everyone off, place in a group and then off you go, I usually don't wait and just push myself. Getting on the plane, both Hilo and Hnl have always been positive and most times the porter must have been an employee as any tip was refused. Trying to remember the worst experience, was either Newark or Philly, actually pretty much a toss up. Sophie pretty much laughs off the security check - she has so much extra metal in her. Hopefully, this local (Hilo) person will find a new calling for which better suited.
David
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I am so sorry this happened to your wife, Tom. And Damon - yes they are AIRPORT personnel.
I was at Queens for 8 days after a very painful kidney surgery 1-1/2 years ago. We could not afford for my husband to leave my mom and pay for a hotel and take off work - so as a result I was alone the entire time.
On my return trip to the Big Island the driver of the Queens Hospital van left me at the curb with a porter, as I needed a wheelchair. When the wheelchair came, they told me there was a $2.00 fee to check my bag in (of course I couldn't carry it). I said I didn't have it and they were nice enough to courtesy check my bag.
The redcoat wheeled me to my flight grudgingly (he knew there was no tip coming) and upon my arrival at Hilo, another redcoat took me down to the curb to wait for my husband. After he got me there he told me that they make their money by collecting tips for the "courtesy" he just did. I told him that I had NO money - not even a quarter and that I couldn't walk far due to my surgery. He was visibly pissed and marched off after loading my suitcase onto my lap.
I was so embarrased BOTH times I thought I would die. I sat there in tears waiting for Tony. I just didn't have any money. I had a debit card, but they didn't use those.
It is a shame that they cannot do their job with pride and spare disabled people their dignity.[:I]
Carrie Rojo
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Carrie Rojo
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I just hope that this attitude is not prevelant among the majority of "redcoats". I hope the employees that do behave this way can be identified and fired.
Tom, I also have no sympathy to those lazy a**holes that will park in a handicaped stall, just to save themselves a few seconds. My Mom was an amputee, and my pop chauffeured her around like you so lovingly do for your wife. I usually have a word about "not for the mentally handicapped" if I see a young driver without a placard getting into his car in such an area.
I've even seen idiots (at the Pahoa library a lot) not want to park in the handicapped stall, so they park directly outside of it; effectively blocking it. I simmer just thinking about it.
My best to your wife, Tom.
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Have you contacted Hawaii Disability Rights Center ? I know when Carol Yasui was their Hi County rep years ago, they were really strong on following up on these incidents.
Cholas, Chris - Peer Advocate, Hawaii County (East)
Dekok, Phyllis - Advocate, Hawaii County (East)
Fuiava, Tui - Peer Advocate, Hawaii County (East)
http://www.hawaiidisabilityrights.org/Ce...fices.aspx
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