************** against disabled people

<p>Tickets for flight JE148 from CPT to JNB was booked early last year. Straightway assistance was requested and granted for my mentally and physically disabled brother. I had to confirm that an abled-bodied person (my mother) will accompany my brother as this is company policy. The confirmation also stated strictly no on-line check-in as they had to report to the check-in counter on the day of departure.</p> <p>Early on the day of departure, my brother and mother reported to the check-in counter and was given boarding passes for adjacent seats – seats 1F and 1E respectively.</p> <p>My brother was given a window seat. He cannot walk properly so this was a concern, however he always boards first therefore the extra room from an empty plane would make it attainable.</p> <p>He was boarded last only after all other passengers were already on board - this made things even more difficult to get him to his seat. In addition to this, someone else was seated in my mother’s seat (1E). Upon questioning, my mother was told that she had been moved to another seat (separating her from her son) due to another disabled person requiring her seat. My mother insisted that my brother cannot sit by himself as he is unable to help himself should anything happen during the flight. After rude conduct from the cabin staff telling my mother that she had to book on-line if she wanted a front row seat and that this is customer services problem not theirs, she went to another seat and burst into tears. My brother was left feeling alone, stressed and distraught after this. Needless to say he is terrified of flying after this.</p> <p>After the flight, the alleged disabled person who was given my mother’s seat, got up and walked off the plane with no issues.</p> <p>A couple of things happened here, first of all my brother was discriminated against - he is not allowed to fly by himself since an able-bodied person must accompany him, however he is separated from the only person who can understand and assist him on board. Secondly, he was discriminated against as he had to request assistance in advance and the alleged disabled person could only request this on board. Third of all, my mother was treated unfairly. Forth of all, my mother’s seat was given to a disabled person, therefore seating 2 disabled people next to each other, therefore leaving a disabled person most likely responsible for assisting my brother should anything go wrong. This is not equity, this is not safe and this will not be accepted.</p> <p>After complaining about this on Facebook, I've only received a half-hearted phone call with empty promises of follow up communication and next steps to ensure this does not happen again. After reverting to Facebook again, no response from anyone else was received.</p> <p> </p>