Anyone take their own ECV on a plane to Disney?

[ILoveMyGirls]

Just curious how it works bringing them with you. Thanks.

 

[RaySharpton]

Just curious how it works bringing them with you. Thanks.

Sorry, edit post to say that I didn't see your entire title about the plane.

I am curious about loading my scooter on a plane without it being damaged by the staff.

 

[clkelley]

We do it all the time. We take everything off the scooter. We have an address label with our names and cell phone # on every piece of the scooter. We take it through security and when we get to the gate, right before boarding, we put it in freewheel and hand it to airport personnel. They walk it to the elevator and load it in the baggage compartment.

When we arrive at our destination (to date only Orlando), we wait at the gate for them to bring it up the elevator.

All airlines that we have used have a form that they fill out noting any damage before taking the scooter.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

This year I have done three airline trips with my ECV.

I make sure that my reservation indicates I have a wheelchair. Never any problem going through Security; they are used to it.

At the podium at the gate they will fill in a "gate-check" tag. Note that if you have a connection make sure that they set it up for a direct transfer and not to bring it up for you. (My last trip I had less than an hour connection one way in ATL and my departing flight was on a different concourse that the arriving. I was pushed in a wheelchair; otherwise I would not have been able to make it as the flight was already boarding when I got to the new gate.)

I drive it all the way down to the aircraft door. Put the charger, which is in a pack attached to the back of the seat, in the basket and then remove the basket and put it inside a cloth tote bag. (I have been asked a few times if I could walk down the jetway to the aircraft which would make it easier for them to get the ECV to the plane. I was still preboarded.)

Normally I will walk up the jetway and tell the gate agent I am waiting for my ECV so when it is brought up they don't have to get it to the aircraft door.

And I do take my key with me.

 

[ILoveMyGirls]

thanks for your great replies. it doesn't sound difficult at all. i don't have one but will try to buy one eventually.

 

[Escape2Disney]

I've done it several times and the process is very easy. The only word of caution I would have is to request that they don't leave the scooter out in the direct sun for a long time on the tarmac. One time I had that happen and it melted the battery.

A simple request that they don't leave it in the sun will keep that from happening.

 

[DSquare]

I've looked into travelling with my sons power chair but read too many horror stories. After reading this though I may rethink about doing it. What happens when you get to your destination to transport the powerchair? Can you rent vehicles with lifts on them?

 

[lovetoscrap]

I drive it all the way down to the aircraft door. Put the charger, which is in a pack attached to the back of the seat, in the basket and then remove the basket and put it inside a cloth tote bag. (I have been asked a few times if I could walk down the jetway to the aircraft which would make it easier for them to get the ECV to the plane. I was still preboarded.)

Normally I will walk up the jetway and tell the gate agent I am waiting for my ECV so when it is brought up they don't have to get it to the aircraft door.

And I do take my key with me.

I will take mine to the door of the aircraft OR they will transport me in a wheelchair to the door. I have done it both ways. I have been asked to walk up or down the jetway but my balance is so off that I have trouble on inclined areas, particularly with the weird angles and transitions on a jetway. So if you are not comfortable walking and they want to take your scooter before you get on let them know you will need them to take you in a a wheelchair to the plane. Sometimes it is just easier for them to go ahead and load all the equipment before they start loading the plane.

I also don't get off the plane at my destination (or transfer airport) without them bringing my scooter or a wheelchair to the plane door. I have been stranded a few times and I couldn't get anyone to help me. If you are ON the plane then the flight crew has a vested interest in making sure the ground crew gets your equipment to you ASAP. They can not leave the aircraft until you you do and they can't turn the plane over for the next flight. I have had them ask me to "just walk" to the end of the ramp and wait for someone, or at least get out of the plane and stand in the jetway. Nope. Can't walk on a ramp and can't stand and wait for a wheelchair or my scooter. Once you are off the plane and at the gate then you are no longer a priority for them to help.

If you will need the assistance of someone to push you in a wheelchair if you transfer planes do remember to bring some dollar bills to tip them for their assistance.

 

[nanadeb]

Usually, I have had no problems at all taking my ECV with me on a plane. For the first time, someone at AirTran disconnected all the battery wires and the wiring harness on my ECV and returned it to me without telling me what they had done.
There I was with no power to my ECV and no clue about why I couldn't get it to work until some kind soul said he saw a wire hanging down underneath the ECV. Obviously, they had taken the ECV apart, disconnected the wires, and put it all back together again. I can understand some baggage person being worried about power being connected to my sealed batteries, but someone should have either reconnected things or at least told me what had been done.
Talk about a few moments of panic!
Just make sure your ECV is working when you get it back before you take acceptance of it. If my DD and I weren't used to taking the thing apart and putting it back together again for transport, we wouldn't have had a clue about what to do.

 

[ILoveMyGirls]

it will be a long time before i can get one but now i will know what to expect.

what a mess them taking yours apart

 

[mrsksomeday]

I've looked into travelling with my sons power chair but read too many horror stories. After reading this though I may rethink about doing it. What happens when you get to your destination to transport the powerchair? Can you rent vehicles with lifts on them?

My boyfriend Bill uses a power wheelchair. We have flown to WDW 7 times on SW in a little over 3 years.

When you get your boarding pass they will fill out paperwork about the wheelchair. When you get to your gate, let them know you have a person in your party in a power wheelchair. I can only speak for Southwest Airlines procedures. At that point SW gave us a blue preboarding pass. We go sit close to the jetway. They ask for preboards, then we follow the employee to the plane.

I lift Bill put him in his seat, go back to the wheelchair and take everything off that is detachable. The flight attendants usually help me put everything in the overhead bins. I show the employees how to disconnect the power on the chair, then they take it. We sit on the right side of the plane and I watch them load the chair. The smile at me while I take pictures of them doing this.

When we get to MCO, everyone gets off the plane and we wait until the chair is brought to us. I put everything back on the chair, place Bill in it and we make our way to the Magical Express counter. We check in and they tell the correct people that we need a bus with a lift, even though I have it noted in our reservation.

We use WDW transportation the whole time we are there. I know if you go other places or just want a vehicle there are places that rent ramp vans although they are usually expensive.

 

[clkelley]

What happens when you get to your destination to transport the powerchair? Can you rent vehicles with lifts on them?

We've done it only to WDW and then we took Magical Express and used Disney Transportation.

Ooops, just remembered, I've also taken it to Disneyland in California. I used SuperShuttle for my transportation from LAX to my hotel on Katella. I requested an accessible shuttle and got one. Once in the Disneyland area, I just drove the ECV from my hotel to the parks. The entire area is very pedestrian and wheelchair/ECV friendly.