Airline Medical Exams?

[JSky26]

Just a thought here...

I've heard some airlines require additional medical testing even if you have a first class medical. Are some of their medical requirements stricter than the first class? Can they legally do this with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act? I know a lot of the regionals simply will take your first class no questions asked.

Like my case for example, my best corrected distant vision in my left eye is 20/25. Everything else is 20/20 all around. I have a first class with a waiver, no restrictions.

Bottom line, what companies do you guys see that I will have trouble being employed at?

 

[radarlove]

Two female applicants sued UAL for UAL's restrictive eyesight requirements under the ADA. They lost.

Airlines are allowed to hold you to a higher medical standard than the FAA.

 

[JSky26]

So UAL is one of these companies with more stringent medical requirments? Are these written down some where?

My next question is, will an airline not look at your previous experience and examine the circumstances by a case by case basis. Lets say I have a successful career at the regionals (if thats even considered a sucess these days), get my 1000 Turbine PIC and what not, would they not look at your operational experience or are these medical guidlines they follow clear cut, black and white?

Thanks

 

[firstthird]

Actually, UAL won the case but then promptly stopped requiring the eyesight.

Back when they were hiring I THINK that American still required a company physical.

SWA does not.

I don't think that jetblue or FDX do either.
not sure about CAL or UPS.

I think with the ADA (americans with disabliities act) many carriers stopped requiring physicals and just required you to hold a class I FAA. Probably driven by lawyers, i.e. if a company requires a higher level than the FAA and then something happens some day, a litigant could say, you should have required this test or that test, since you already knew that the FAA minimum wasn't good enough. blah blah.

It was good to see UAL take it to the Supreme Court, less exciting to see them win on principal and then change anyway, probably smart bottom line wise though.

 

[Sonny Crockett]

I would not worry about it.

Northwest hired a gal in 1998 with one eye. Same at AA sometime around 97-98 I think it was.

If they keep lowering our pay, I am sure they will have to lower pretty much all the standards since I would think very few people would want this job anymore. At least not the type of applicant that was coming through the door pre-911.