Bringing Wheelchair?

[DW Goofy]

Never done this before but I am thinking of bringing my moms wheelchair with us this time. How are airlines with passengers bringing their wheelchairs on the plane? It does fold up and I have seen people bringing their strollers on board. So what is the policy with airlines? I will call tomorrow but I like the straight forward answers from DIS'rs. We need it mostly for the cruise because we've already rented a scooter for her at WDW. Just seems easier to get her around by using her own chair when we head out for the cruise. What do you all think?

Thanks DW Goofy

 

[SueM in MN]

Yes, I would bring it. For a cruise, there might be times when it would be more convenient to have the wheelchair as opposed to the rented scooter.

What you want to do is called "gate checking." You are actually able to keep the wheelchair until she gets on board the plane. She can use it to get down the gateway and to the door of the plane. You leave the wheelchair at the door and the baggage people will take it down and put it in the baggage compartment of the plane. It's best to remove anyything that might come of or be broken off (like if she has removeable arm/foot rests, then fold the wheelchair and secure it so it won't unfold. The wheelchair will be waiting for you when you get off (it does take a few minutes to get it off though, so don't try to be the first off. )
If the plane has a closet that a wheelchair will it into (not all do), you can bring the wheelchair on board into the cabin and put it into the closet. The space is limited and if someone else with a wheelchair beats you to it, the wheelchair will need to be put in the baggage compartment.
Mobility equipment like wheelchairs or ECVs does not count toward either your carryon or checked baggage allowance.

How do you arrange to do it?
Ask about gate checking when you first check in for your flight. They may give you a gate check tag right then, or tell you to check in with the gate agent to get one (you want to do that well before boarding starts. Sometimes you have a choice of where the gate checked item will be returned (to the gate or baggage claim of your final destination or an airport where you chenge planes). If you have a tight connection, you may want to send the wheelchair all the way to your final destination.

 

[Paticake]

Great Idea to take off the leg rests. The first time we brought my mother one got broken. The airline had someone come out to CBR to bring her a wheelchair to use while they fixed hers. I just didn't think to take it off. We have since travelled with her 2 other times with no problems.

 

[SueM in MN]

Great Idea to take off the leg rests. The first time we brought my mother one got broken. The airline had someone come out to CBR to bring her a wheelchair to use while they fixed hers. I just didn't think to take it off. We have since travelled with her 2 other times with no problems.

I carry half a wheelchair onto the plane when I'm finished getting DD's ready to go into the baggage compartment. I have armrests, the cushion, the back cushion, and the footrests if they are removeable.
You do want to bring those onto the plane with you and put them into the closet or overhead compartment.

 

[DW Goofy]

So if you don't stow them in the overhead what do you do with those parts?

 

[DW Goofy]

Ooops I read your post wrong, sorry!

 

[DW Goofy]

Thank you for the replys. Appreciate your input and will give this flying wheelchair a try.

 

[SueM in MN]

Some planes don't have a closet, but if the pieces don't fit in the overhead bin, the flight attendants will find you a place to put them.
If possible, you want to be finished stowing them in the overhead bin before other passengers come aboard. I was putting DD's wheelchair back (which has an aluminum backing piece) into the overhead bin when the people for the row behind us arrived. The woman in that row completely freaked out and said she would not sit there with 'those things' in the overhead compartment (even though they were in the part of the compartment above my family's heads). She was ranting and raving about what would happen if they fell on her or her family. The flight attendent helped me to move the wheelchair pieces to the next compartment and all was happy.

The ironic part is that the next person who came along put a huge (and heavy) rolling suitcase and a number of smaller, but heavy looking items into the bin over the lady's head. That was OK with her - potentially getting bopped by 30 pounds of carryon bag, but not about 16 pounds of wheelchair pieces.

 

[DW Goofy]

That was quite a story. It's funny how common sense has left the planet. Maybe she wasn't worried about the big bag because death wouldn't hurt as much as wheelchair parts. Think I might look for a bag to put the parts in, just in case I run into that woman! Thanks for sharing.