Handicapped Flight Assistance

Flametamr · Feb 13, 2016

Not sure if this is the best place for this but I need advise. We are going to Disney for Spring Break. I have a 25 yr old mentally handicapped daughter and I am considering letting her fly down a few days later. We want to do the water parks and she hates them. The flight is only 2 hours long and Non-stop. Her nurse will put her on and I will be waiting to get her off. My question is this, do airlines still help special needs people and children ? Her mentality is that of a child. Would they escort her to me at the gate in Orlando ?

We are towing our camper down and staying at Fort Wilderness again. The drive back home to get her in my truck would take 14-16 hours round trip and the cost of the flight is very cheap. Even less than the cost to drive my truck. Any advice is appreciated, Thanks.

DisneyOma · Feb 13, 2016

Call the airline and ask them?

anonymousegirl · Feb 13, 2016

Some airlines offer unaccompanied minor services. It is an additional cost (around $150 I think) and the service only escorts the child to the gate, seat and off the plane to baggage claim area (where hopefully a parent is waiting). The service will not cover handling your daughter in a meltdown, or staying with her during the flight. In an emergency, the flight attendants do take special care of the minor.
Having said this, I am not sure an airline would extend the service to an adult, no matter what age developmentally.

SMD · Feb 13, 2016

If the flight is cheap, can you pay for a ticket for someone to fly down with her? And then once you've met them that person could go home or stay in Orlando a few days at their own expense and you could pay for their return ticket.

Flametamr · Feb 13, 2016

I do have someone that would fly with her and return home that day at my expense. But that is a lot to ask and an added expense.

Jaya · Feb 13, 2016

Would she be OK with a babysitter when you go to the waterparks? There are several care agencies in the area that will send a babysitter to your hotel or wherever you are staying. It probably would be fairly expensive, though.

Flametamr · Feb 13, 2016

No the sitter service is extremely high due and cost prohibitive due to the hours each day. We want to open the water parks and then go to the other parks in the afternoons.

TheRustyScupper · Feb 13, 2016

Flametamr said:
No the sitter service is extremely high due and cost prohibitive due to the hours each day. We want to open the water parks and then go to the other parks in the afternoons.

Sometimes, one has to make a decision based upon priorities.

Maggie'sMom · Feb 13, 2016

I think the most you could expect from the airline is for them to treat her similarly to an unaccompanied minor. There is a fee for that and the assistance is limited. The best option would be for you to pay for a round trip ticket for someone to fly down with her and then return home. Yes, that's a lot to ask of someone as you mention, but it's also a lot to ask of an airline to take responsibility for a developmentally disabled adult. I would venture to guess that many airlines would just say no to any request for help because of potential liability issues.

book_junkie · Feb 13, 2016

I honestly doubt any airline will do this. At 14 kids can fly solo, and any minor using the service (17 & under) has to have their birth certificate. Your best bet would be to have the nurse or someone fly with her.

SMD · Feb 14, 2016

You can try contacting the airline. Per the ACAA they're supposed to allow someone with a disability to be accompanied to the gate. Assisting them on and off the plane isn't really covered other than they should assist with wheelchairs but not actually lift the passenger, so that is probably airline dependent. But, if the airline determines that she won't be able to understand or follow safety instructions, they can then require her to travel with a companion which they are not obligated to provide. If you're saying that she needs to be escorted to the gate, they could interpret that as a safety issue in case of an emergency. You're only going to get an answer by contacting the airline you plan to use.

china mom · Feb 14, 2016

You can get a security document to get you through TSA and all the way to the gate to assist with boarding and to be waiting at the gate for arrival. You get it from the airline counter. We have done this with Southwest with no problem whatsoever.

TheRustyScupper · Feb 14, 2016

china mom said:
You can get a security document to get you through TSA and all the way to the gate to assist with boarding and to be waiting at the gate for arrival. You get it from the airline counter. We have done this with Southwest with no problem whatsoever.

1) This is a very common practice.
2) However, it does not help for in-flight assistance or issues that might arise.

Maggie'sMom · Feb 14, 2016

TheRustyScupper said:
1) This is a very common practice.
2) However, it does not help for in-flight assistance or issues that might arise.

When my DD was a toddler, my mom would get the pass in order to help me and DD get to the gate. I didn't really need the help, but mom would insist I did so I'd bite my tongue and smile. But as you point out, that doesn't help with help with getting from the gate to the seat on the plane or with anything in flight. What if there was a mechanical or weather issue and the plane had to divert to another airport. I'd rather have someone on the flight to help.

Kellykins1218 · Feb 14, 2016

book_junkie said:
I honestly doubt any airline will do this. At 14 kids can fly solo, and any minor using the service (17 & under) has to have their birth certificate. Your best bet would be to have the nurse or someone fly with her.

We've never had to have our kids' birth certificates when we've sent them to Grandma's

kamik86 · Feb 14, 2016

I guess my thought would depend on what her needs are and how often she has flown. Does she mostly need help with finding her gate and getting their on time? If that is all I would think this would be like having a 10 year old fly alone and should be ok. But if she needs alot more help like a smaller child would it probably wouldn't work.

gwynne · Feb 14, 2016

kamik86 said:
I guess my thought would depend on what her needs are and how often she has flown. Does she mostly need help with finding her gate and getting their on time? If that is all I would think this would be like having a 10 year old fly alone and should be ok. But if she needs alot more help like a smaller child would it probably wouldn't work.

JMO, I don't think that is a good comparison.

I hope the OP finds ways to make this trip easy on their daughter. It sounds like the daughter would do best with an actual travel companion who knows her well and would tend to her special needs before, during and after the flight.

Flametamr · Feb 14, 2016

Thanks Everyone, I have sent email to Silver Airways the carrier. I will figure it out after they respond. If I do decide to fly my daughter I will probably fly her nurse too. Everything including the nurse is around $500.00 and I think it is worth that to get some alone time with my younger daughter and also give my older daughter probably her only chance in life to fly on a plane.

gwynne · Feb 14, 2016

Flametamr said:
Thanks Everyone, I have sent email to Silver Airways the carrier. I will figure it out after they respond. If I do decide to fly my daughter I will probably fly her nurse too. Everything including the nurse is around $500.00 and I think it is worth that to get some alone time with my younger daughter and also give my older daughter probably her only chance in life to fly on a plane.

I think your plan to have the nurse accompany your daughter on her flight is a very good one. I hope your daughter has a good first flight.

Allison · Feb 14, 2016

I hope it all works out for you.

Handicapped Flight Assistance

<font color=red>I never thought about doing any ot

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

<font color=red>I never thought about doing any ot

DIS Veteran

<font color=red>I never thought about doing any ot

Everyone Is Responsible For Everyone.

DIS Veteran

"Oh dear, what an awkward situation..."

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Everyone Is Responsible For Everyone.

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

<font color=red>I never thought about doing any ot

DIS Veteran

DIS Veteran

Share this page