Hotels.com faces suit over accessibility

Hotels.com faces suit over accessibilityPlaintiffs say site won't guarantee wheelchairs can get into rooms.

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff WriterWednesday, May 23, 2007

Two East Bay women on Tuesday accused online travel agency Hotels.com in a lawsuit of discriminating against disabled people by refusing to guarantee reservations for rooms that are wheelchair accessible.

In a class-action lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court, Judith Smith of Oakland and Bonnie Lewkowicz of Berkeley, both of whom use wheelchairs and helped found Axis Dance Company in Oakland, said Hotels.com treats accessibility as an optional "amenity," such as a king-size bed or a room with a view.

Despite making reservations online and contacting Hotels.com's customer-care representatives, the women found that wheelchair-accessible rooms aren't guaranteed, the lawsuit says. Smith and Lewkowicz use wheelchairs and tour the state and country as part of a troupe of dancers with and without disabilities. "Thus, if an individual who depends on a wheelchair or other assistive device makes a reservation through Hotels.com, she runs a real risk that -- despite having prepaid for the room and made the reservation well in advance -- she will literally not be able to enter or use the room once she arrives at the hotel," according to the suit.

The suit seeks class-action certification and an injunction requiring Hotels.com to modify its policies and practices so that it will guarantee reservations for accessible hotel rooms.

In a statement Tuesday, Hotels.com, a subsidiary of Expedia.com of Bellevue, Wash., said, "We are aware that a lawsuit has been filed. As of this time, we have not been served or reviewed a complaint and cannot provide comment."

The suit could have nationwide implications for the online consumer travel industry, which generated $79 billion last year, said Sid Wolinsky, an attorney with Disability Rights Advocates in Berkeley, which filed the complaint with a private firm and Public Justice of Oakland. "If people with disabilities can't use the Internet, they miss out on every possible economic opportunity," said Wolinsky, who noted that no damages are sought in the suit. "This should be a no-brainer for Hotels.com because there's a huge market of people with disabilities who want to travel just like everybody else." The complaint alleges violation of state laws protecting the disabled and the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits businesses from discriminating against their customers on a variety of grounds.

A Travel Review of Alaska and Princess Cruiselines

The following post is a ship review aboard the Diamond Princess sailing to Alaska.


1. Was the Princess Staff helpful to those with or without disabilities in regards to getting on and off the ship? From what I saw yes. I noticed that there were fewer people with visible disabilities on this trip vs other trips I have taken.
Other comments:


2. Was the Princess Staff helpful to those with or without disabilities on the ship? Examples may include assisting with luggage, food service, or directions. Yes they answered direct questions on directions. We had anytime dining service and we had no problems getting the food we needed or wanted when we needed it. One issue that I experienced more on this ship than any of the other six I have been on, was that beverage stations to get your own water or ice tea were few and a long ways from where we often were. We had no issues with our luggage – it all arrived to our room shortly after we boarded.

Other comments:


3. Did Princess provide large print or Braille signage on their ship and areas or menus, newsletters, elevators or activity list? I found no large print signage. I had requested large print daily events and was not given them. The only Braille I noticed on Board was related to the elevators.

It was VERY difficult for me to know what floor I was on --- they only had one sign per floor off to the side and I had to sometimes travel across a very wide hallway through people to see what floor I was on. Carnival did a much better job with signage as they have put 2 ft x 2 ft squares of carpeting at the edge of each transitional floor so you can have a better idea where you are.

Other comments:

4. Did Princess provide TTY kits that supply text telephones, vibrating alarm clocks, flashing-light door buzzers and flashing-light or vibrating alarm clocks? Did they have assistive listening devices available on request for onboard shows and lectures? I can not say one way or another as I did not see any or meet anyone who was uing these devices.

5. Did Princess provide food alternatives and proper disposal containers for those passengers who have diabetes?

Food alternatives were available. In our stateroom we had a place to dispose of needles and syringes.

Other comments:

We had a nice time overall. I think I had higher expectations so when they were unable to deliver at the level I wished they could, I was a little disappointed.


The Spa did not have accessible showers, nor did I see a lift for making the pools or whirlpools accessible.

While ashore I saw that there were city buses that were accessible, however all of the tour buses I was a passenger on WERE NOT ACCESSIBLE.

The public toilets that were marked accessible in the ship were found to be more than adequate in size, had accessible sinks. Some of them I thought could have had more support grab bars, but they each met the minimum standard.

The Anchorage to Whittier Leopard tour was very good, especially for the price! Too bad it is not accessible – however the guy who is running it is director of education in one of the Alaskan cities – perhaps if he had someone needing assistance, he would have access to an accessible vehicle.

If traveling to Alaska – bring all types of weather clothing --- temperatures fluctuated throughout the days – overall we had great weather – but I think it was better than it even actually was because we were able to layer and dress appropriately for the conditions from sun to rain to wind ….

AUDIENT Program Helps Low-Income People to Receive Hearing Care

If you cannot afford the hearing aid you need, the AUDIENT Program may be able to help you. For people whose income is two-and-a-half times the national poverty level - $24,500 for an individual, plus $8,500 for each additional family member, AUDIENT may be able to help you find affordable hearing care and discounted hearing aids. AUDIENT is a program of Northwest Hearing Care, an affiliate of the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight and Hearing. Link to source (http://www.audientalliance.org/).

NEW TAXI DEBUTS TO INDUSTRY REGULATORS FEATURING ENHANCED COMFORT, SAFETY AND ACCESS FOR ALL

The Vehicle Production Group LLC “Re-invents” Industry with Unique, Purpose-Built Taxi Specifically for Taxi Use SEATTLE - (Sept. 18, 2006) - A new automaker is reinventing an old transportation business – the taxi industry. Taxi regulators are getting the first look at The Vehicle Production Group’s “Standard Taxi” during the International Association of Transportation Regulators 19th Annual Conference this week at the Seattle Renaissance Hotel. This low-volume purpose-built vehicle has been engineered specifically for taxi and paratransit fleets. “The Standard Taxi fills a void in the transportation marketplace,” said Marc Klein, president of The Vehicle Production Group LLC. “Not only does it address problems that exist with vehicles currently used as taxicabs such as lack of comfort, space, and cleanliness, but it accommodates passengers of all ages and abilities.”
Designed and engineered by seasoned engineers from the automotive industry who utilized extensive input from the taxicab industry across North America, the Standard Taxi meets a major industry need for a cost-efficient taxi that addresses all the concerns of its many users, from taxicab owners, to drivers, to the riding public. Passenger Benefits - Safety and Accessibility for All The Standard Taxi has seating positions for four passengers in the rear compartment and has additional space that is compliant with the vehicle standards of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Passengers can easily enter the taxi by either stepping inside the vehicle or by using a standard recessed access ramp. With a focus on safety, the Standard Taxi is designed with anti-lock brakes, a strong frame and body structure, and energy-absorbing bumpers. The easy-to-maintain interior helps to guarantee that passengers will always have clean seating surfaces and floors. In addition, the extra-large trunk space is big enough to carry four hard-case golf bags and a full-size spare tire. Taxicab Owner/Driver Benefits - Cost and Comfort While the typical taxi fleet vehicle is a retrofit of a mass-market passenger model, the Standard Taxi was built from the ground up only to be a taxi.
The Standard Taxi saves taxi owners and operators money by offering a vehicle that not only retails at a price competitive with taxicab vehicles currently in operation, but also minimizes service and repair costs. Many of the Standard Taxi’s exterior panels are interchangeable, minimizing service and collision repair costs. Parts such as head lights, tail lights, tires, brakes, exhaust, oil filter, and air filter are readily available at regional retail parts suppliers. The easy-to-maintain interior also is a cost saving. Finally, the vehicle’s unpainted primer finish allows taxi companies to customize paint work locally and inexpensively so that they can comply with local taxi “color scheme” regulations.
For drivers, the Standard Taxi has been specifically engineered to take into consideration long hours behind the wheel, so it is equipped with an ergonomically designed upright driver’s seat to prevent sore backs. Other driver benefits include a “safety partition” which separates the driver from passengers, an easy-to-read dashboard display with taxi-specific message center, an “office” style console layout, and driver-controlled door locks with separate left and right unlock control that is integrated with unique passenger exit lighting. “The industry eagerly anticipates seeing the Standard Taxi on the road,” said Brian McBride, President of the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association (TLPA). The Vehicle Production Group LLC has been funded in part by the principals of Andlinger & Company, Inc., a private investment firm founded by Gerhard Andlinger in 1976. In addition, Chicago fleet owner Patton Corrigan is a major contributor. With the conclusion of the International Association of Transportation Regulators Conference, The Vehicle Production Group will focus efforts on the 88th Annual Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association Convention in Las Vegas from October 8-11, 2006. About The Vehicle Production Group, LLC Based in Troy, Mich., The Vehicle Production Group LLC was founded in 2006 as an original equipment manufacturer of a purpose-built taxicab, the Standard Taxi, which has been designed and engineered specifically for taxicab and paratransit fleets. Vehicle production is scheduled to begin the fourth quarter of 2007. For more information, please visit http://www.standardtaxi.com/