A DISABLED PAX AND CUSTOMER SVC PRESSURE A FLT ATTENDANT TO ACCOMMODATE A SCOOTER WHEN THE APPLICABLE REG AND COMPANY GUIDANCE ONLY REQUIRES A WHEEL CHAIR TO BE ACCOMMODATED ON AN ACFT.

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UPON CHKING IN AT THE GATE FOR FLT THE GATE AGENTS WERE DEALING WITH A WOMAN WITH AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER. THE CUSTOMER WANTED TO PLACE THE SCOOTER IN THE FIRST CLASS CLOSET IN PIECES. SHE COULDN'T TELL US HOW MUCH IT WEIGHED. I LOOKED IN THE OPS MANUAL FOR DIRECTION ON WHAT TO DO WITH A SCOOTER. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE OPS MANUAL ON THIS ITEM. I AM AWARE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT FOR US TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF PAX WITH DISABILITIES; SPECIFICALLY THOSE TRAVELING WITH A WHEELCHAIR. I WENT DOWN TO THE PLANE AND WHEN PLACING MY BAGS IN THEIR PROPER STOWAGE LOCATION PER THE OPS MANUAL; I CHKED THE WT LIMIT FOR THE FLOOR. THE WT LIMIT WAS 110 LBS; I MADE AN ESTIMATE OF THE WT OF MY BAGS WHICH ARE TO GO IN THE FIRST CLASS CLOSET PER THE OPS MANUAL. I CALLED THE CUST SVC REP AT THIS POINT AND TOLD THEM WHAT THE WT LIMIT WAS AND WHAT ADDITIONAL WT WE COULD ACCOMMODATE. THE CUST SVC REPS ASKED IF WE COULD STORE SOME OF THE PARTS IN THERE AND THE REST IN THE OVERHEAD BIN. I SAID NO TO THIS; THE ONLY APPROVED STOWAGE AREA FOR A PAX WHEELCHAIR ON THIS ACFT WAS THE FIRST CLASS CLOSET. AT THIS TIME THE PAX SAID TO THE CUST SVC REP TO TAKE MY BAGS OUT TO ACCOMMODATE HER SCOOTER. I ALSO REALIZE IT IS AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT THAT I ADHERE TO FAR'S AND ACR POLICY AS ESTABLISHED IN THE OPS MANUAL. I FEEL I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION BY CHOOSING TO MAINTAIN FAR'S AND POLICY AND ADVOCATE FOR ALTERNATE STOWAGE OF THE PAX WHEELCHAIR. THE PAX KEPT INSISTING THAT WE VIOLATED HER RIGHTS UNDER THE ADA; WHICH STATES THAT WE MUST ACCOMMODATE A WHEELCHAIR ON BOARD AN ACFT. OUR OPS MANUAL HAS THIS INFO. THE OPS MANUAL STATES (THE ACR ACT REQUIRES AIRLINES TO PROVIDE ONBOARD STOWAGE FOR 1 CUSTOMER FOLDING WHEELCHAIR); IT HAS NO DIRECTION ON SCOOTERS. WE DECIDED TO GATE CHK THE SCOOTER; WHICH WAS BROUGHT BACK UP WHEN WE LANDED. A DECISION NEEDS TO BE MADE AS TO HOW AN INDIVIDUAL FLT ATTENDANT FACING UNIQUE CHALLENGES; SUCH AS THIS ONE; MAY BE AUTH TO EITHER DEVIATE FROM FAR AND POLICY; OR DOES THE FLT ATTENDANT CHOOSE TO ADVOCATE FOR ALTERNATE STOWAGE OF ASSISTIVE DEVICES FOR THE DISABLED.