Unless the two sides can come to an agreement, disability activists are planning to sue Detroit's Wayne County Airport Authority later this month, accusing Detroit Metropolitan Airport officials of discrimination against disabled travelers.

Starting July 1, the airport authority gave an exclusive contract to the Checker cab company; the agreement prohibits other transportation services from going into the terminal buildings and meeting customers at baggage claim areas. Instead, all passengers must now to go to a central ground transporation center to get rides.

Attorney Richard Bernstein calls this "denying equal access to service."

"This is incredible," said Bernstein, who is blind. "What if someone is not familiar with the airport and they are blind? How are they going to find where this ground transportation center is located?"

The story was reported by Oakland (MI) Press disability issues columnist Jerry Wolffe

Read story, Lawsuit for disabled to challenge Metro Airport's Checker contract (Oakland (MI) Press, June 23, 2006)