Rights and Responsibilities of a Grace Flight passenger
The following outlines your rights and responsibilities as a passenger on a Grace Flight (GF). .
While Grace Flight of America (GFA) strives to arrange a flight for every single request, we NEVER guarantee that every request can be filled or that every mission will occur successfully. Additionally, our volunteer pilot is making a great sacrifice to conduct your Grace Flight. Please be courteous and respectful of their time, effort and finances.
Keep in mind that GF pilots are not employees of the Grace Flight of America organization, but volunteers who donate their time, aircraft and all expenses connected with your transportation Pilot resources are scarce in certain rural areas of our region.
Passenger weight and distance present challenges for smaller aircraft as well. For example, a request for a husband and wife with a combined weight of 300 pounds traveling from Lubbock, TX to Houston, TX would be relatively easy to fill. If a husband and wife with a combined weight of 500 pounds and had a collapsible wheelchair wanted to travel the same route—it would be much more difficult to find a volunteer pilot with a suitable aircraft.
Rights:
● You have a right to courteous, friendly service by your Grace Flight pilot, staff, and ground-based volunteers. In a recent independent survey, our passengers gave us very high ratings in service and satisfaction—much higher than commercial air service. If you feel you have been treated unfairly, please contact the Executive Director immediately at 972-755-0433 or 888-500-0433.
● You have a right to a smoke-free environment in flight. Smoking is prohibited by passengers and pilots on all Grace Flights.
● Assuming you meet our Mission Guidelines, you have a right to request a flight regardless of race, religion, economic status, ethnicity, gender, occupation, or age. (Those 18 and under must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.)
Responsibilities:
● All passengers must be ambulatory. They must be able to walk, get in and out of a plane with limited assistance and sit-up during the flight (seats do not recline).
● Grace Flight of America uses small, private planes (generally 4-6 seats) to transport passengers. You may be required to step up onto the airplane wing (16-20 inches above the ground), enter through a narrow door and lower yourself into the back seat.
● GFA limits missions to 1,000 miles from origin city to destination city.
● We need 5 working days for flights under 300 miles and 7 working days for more than 300 miles - We don’t start counting the working days until we get our paperwork back from the doctor’s office.
● Passengers must not require any medical attention during the flight or any medical equipment (other than aluminum oxygen canister you can carry over your shoulder)
● We don’t transport unaccompanied minors. A parent or an adult guardian must accompany all passengers 17 years old and younger.
● Please keep us inform of any changes (972) 755-0433 (Companion change, appointment canceled, made other arrangements, lodging info, baggage etc.). If you find a different way of transportation prior to your flight, please call us. If you arrive at the airport with unplanned companions or baggage, it may result in leaving additional passengers or baggage behind or immediate cancellation of your flight. During after hours, call the office and listen to the recording to get the On-Call phone number.
● For safety reasons, baggage is limited to 50 lbs (Total for All Passengers). Weight in a small aircraft is extremely critical. Use soft-sided luggage, no bigger than a carry on bag. Please notify our office immediately if you have any other items (i.e. stroller, car seat, walker, oxygen etc.) Example: If you are taking a car seat (5lbs) and a stroller (10lbs), you can only take 35lbs of baggage
● Anyone traveling with children 5 years old or younger must provide a car/booster seat.
● Passengers must have a back up plan for the outgoing and return trip or the ability to reschedule an appointment in the event we have to cancel the flight. Weather, mechanical difficulties, illness or any other number of reasons greatly influence the ability of any flight to take off as planned. We do not guarantee a flight(s) because all of our pilots are volunteers. If you decide to use your back-up plan instead of our services, please contact us immediately (972) 755-04033.
● It is the patient’s responsibility to his/her own accommodations for lodging and ground transportation.
● Once you and your pilot arrange to meet, it is essential that you be on time. It is important that the pilot stay on the schedule he/she filed with the Federal Aviation Administration with the handoff pilot should there be one on your trip.
● It is your responsibility to ensure we get the proper paperwork from a qualified social worker or physician. Do not call any pilots who have flown you on previous Grace Flight’s as it breaches our privacy agreements with our pilots.
● An adult patient may take 1 passenger and a child patient may take 2 passengers – There are weight restrictions.
● The patient and/or passengers must sign a Waiver of Liability form relieving the pilot and GFA from liabilities prior to takeoff.
● Pilots make final decisions regarding completion of all missions. A pilot may delay or cancel a mission in the event of bad weather or other critical safety factors.
● Under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules, the pilot is the only one responsible for the safety of the flight. GFA coordinates between pilots and patients but assumes no responsibility for the qualifications or performance of the pilot or the airworthiness of the aircraft.
● Grace Flight of America reserves the right to deny service to anyone who does not abide by the above set of responsibilities, who is abusive to a volunteer pilot or staff member, or who has no compelling need for a free flight.
Should you have any questions regarding your request to travel with Grace Flight, please contact your social worker or our office: (972) 755-0433.