Is this discrimination? (Disability)

[BeyondPreparedForHell]

I already had a thread earlier in detail, this is just for one quick question.

Is it unreasonable to complain about discrimination if a disabled person is not able to access presale tickets for a concert, instead they have to order direct through the venue on release date?

(The way it works for a festival with the same company, is you buy the tickets and then prove you need them after. If you don't, you lose them.)

When I brought it up in complaint, the bloke on the phone spoke to me like I was a fruit loop. Said it is in no way discriminatory.

I'm thinking of sad-facing to the DM...

What do you think? And if I'm right, what do you recommend doing/who should I contact?

Are the accessible tickets only available at that time? In which case seems fair enough.

Havent you posted earlier about this?

Well if other people with disabilities are going through the same process as you then surely it's not?

First line of the op londonrach :)
Yes, i posted in detail about it earlier (before i had an outcome), just to moan about the situation. Now i just want to know if people agree that it is discriminatory, or if i'm just feeling hard done by.

Soryry nerf, its been a long day, i dont understand what you mean?

If a disabled person cannot access presale tickets but a non disabled person can, then yes, I reckon that must be discriminatory.

I feel it is discriminatory because if my body worked, I would have been able to buy tickets two days ago. Not only that, but I could have bought them online this morning. However, because i need accessibility, I have lost out compared to able bodied people.

Thats just how it goes in my head though (along with "woooooe is me"), i am happy to be told i am wrong.

I think the only reason this would be okay is if there are always enough accessible seats for the number of disabled people who require them, thus removing the need to go through pre-sale.

If not, YANBU

I don't think it is as everyone needing the same sort of seats as you can access those tickets at the same time. You aren't being put at a disadvantage though I guess you could argue you are not being afforded the same advantage as other members of whatever club gives you access to the pre-general release sale.

I was about to say what apocalypse said, I'm not sure it's discriminatory because you can only use an accessible seat, and they won't sell accessible seats to those who don't need them.. So you just battle for the seats at the same time as everyone else who needs accessible seating does?
Might be worth taking it higher though, if you feel it's a big issue or couldn't get seats etc because of the unavailability during the presale?

If the venue has dedicated seating for disabled people, and those seats are only available on the release date, then I don't think it's discriminatory. People take advantage of the presale so they can obtain better seats, but you don't have that concern, because your seats will be the same no matter when you buy your tickets.

It's discrimination treats you less favourably than people without a disability without reasonable justification. Having a different process for disabled people to book tickets is not discrimination. A disabled person having less chance of getting a ticket or incurring greater costs because the process is different is discrimination.

The Equalities Commission were brilliant at helping me when I was discriminated against. Contact them for advice.

www.equalityhumanrights.com/

No it isn't.

I'm a disabled person so I accept and acknowledge that if I want to go to a concert there will only be some seats that are accessible to me. Therefore, I make sure I am on the phone as early as I can on the day they go in sale.

If I notice that there are still some seats left at a concert I might like to go, when it is getting close to the date, but I've not got tickets I accept that I might not be able to go because the seats that are left might not be accessible to me.

Its very possible, i dont know how they've allocated seating or if they have a 'disabled area' that isnt sold at all until release day.

I will be complaining to the venue and promoter anyway, due to other issues with the booking process. But if general consensus is that it is discriminatory, I'll be writing to anyone I can think of!

Worst bit is, if i'd known how awkward this would be, I would have been happy to go into the standing bit and accept that i'm not going to see anything. But I was told no walking aids are allowed in the standing area. Probably unreasonable to feel treated like a child there, but meh.

My issue would be that you would have less time to organise and prepare for the event, especially if travelling there is a bit of a pain. I think the system is okay otherwise, but they should definitely make all tickets available at the same time.

If they only release the seating for disabled seating 2 days after presale then it can't be discrimination unless those seats can be bought by other people before that date.

Steff, its not a better seats kind of concert, its sitting or standing. All children under 14 must be seated, and it seems adults using wheelchairs and crutches are not allowed to "stand" either.

Of course no walking aids are allowed in the standing area!

Practically every venue have accessible seats, not only that of you register with them your carer goes free.

What venue is it?

Would it be possible for someone not requiring the accessible seats to get one through pre-sale?

not allowing walking aids at a slipknot concert's standing area is most definitely a safety thing.

i don't think this is discriminatory ticket sale wise as there are a set amount of spaces sold specifically to those requiring access - so the people attempting to buy them are all in the same boat and you would have had the same experience had you tried to buy today or on the pre pre sale.

They do YouLove. All tickets go on sale at the same time, not only that a lot of venues have separate phone lines for people need accessible seats so you don't have to wait in a great, great long queue!

Coupled with that, you normally don't get charged the highest ticket price, but you get very, very close to the stage. My kids got me tickets to see Robbie Williams and I am was about 20 feet from him in accessible seating.

No, I don't think this is discriminatory. You can't buy a ticket which you can't use anyway. That's not denying you access in any way. You are able to purchase the ticket you need, for the facilities you need.

The only way it could be discriminatory in my opinion is if all seats were accessible for everyone, but if you 'needed' the accessibility of the seat, you weren't allowed to buy it early.

I think you're massively overthinking this.

I dont know proud.

Last time i was at the same venue (maybe six years ago?), there was definitely someone in a wheelchair in the standing area. Thats why I wondered about that.

I understand you're disappointed that you are going to miss your concert, we've all been there, but I think you are over thinking this. There was never a guarantee that anyone would get a ticket.

was that for a metal gig?

i work for a promoter and i know safety measures get ramped up every year - especially when there is more chances of 'pits' etc

too many gig goers getting hurt ups the insurance

The consensus on this thread (haven't seen the other one) is that it is not discriminatory.