cabin closet manual wc airplane

[goofieslonglostsis]

Hopefully, in a couple of weeks, I'll be booking my ticket for our dec. 2008 trip. I know, a 'bit' early, but everything to be sure of the right seat and it's not like they'll stunt with the prices for these flights (they've been the same for at least 2 years). I'll be flying with my powerchair and manual chair and am wondering about the option to store the manual in a closet in the cabin. I know it's first come, first serve. I'm just wondering about others experience using this closet. I know space is limited, but just how limited? My manual is partially foldable, so you can see why I'm wondering about it.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

If you have a folding manual chair most airlines should be able to fit it in the closet, but you might have to make a fuss to get them to do it. I have a rigid manual with a folding back and have only seen it fit in a closet once so I usually gate check it and it gets put down in the hold as I'm getting on the plane (I have yet to have a problem with it not making it on the plane *crosses fingers*). I know there are a couple "rigid style" type manual chairs that are supposed to be able to fit in the closets or even in the overhead bin! (The Quickie Revolution is the example I can think of off the top of my head)

Good luck!

 

[BratDet]

On my flight out, there was not a closet on that large plane at all- so they gate checked it and since I was seated up close to the front- had to wait a few minutes for it to be brought up.
On my flight home, the stewardess did not want to try to cram it into the closet they did have , even though it collapses really compressed- so she gate checked it. She said it was really tight and she just didn't want to damage or mar my chair.
Since I was back in row 39 this flight- it was waiting for me when I got off the plane.
Bernadette

 

[SueM in MN]

In almost 20 years of travel with DD's manual wheelchair, I can practically count on one hand how many times we have put it in the closet. On some flights, they don't even have a closet that is large enough. There is a requirement for new planes to have a closet that will hold one standard folding wheelchair - generally the type with a sling seat and back, not your average custom wheelchair that may have the wheels canted out for better propulsion, etc.
The requirement is also for new planes; they don't have to retrofit a closet on older planes. Many of the older planes do not have a closet or have a small, short closet just large enough for hanging suit bags or coats.

Most of the times we have taken DD's wheelchair into the plane, it involved some major taking it apart, rather than just folding it.
There is a better chance of fitting if you have a manual wheelchair that folds side to side (for want of better explanation - like a director's chair). We still had to pop the wheels off when DD had that kind of chair. Also, some of the closets are not high enough to fit a wheelchair in.
Her current manual wheelchair has a back that folds down. We folded the back down and still had to remove the wheels before it would fit (and it kind of just barely fit).

If you want to bring a wheelchair to go in the closet, I'd suggest:

• - having that put onto your reservation ahead of time (first 'dibs')
  - mentioning it again when you check in - the check in agent should be able to tell you whether the plane even has a closet
  - having someone in your party who can help take the wheelchair apart and stash it in the closet if you can't - the flight attendants usually won't help
  - let the gate agent know you want to put it in the closet
  - enlist the gate agent's help; the flight attendants (at least in our experience) are very protective of 'their' closet and will try to convince you not to do it.

 

[Figaro]

The only time we have ever had a problem getting my manual, folding wheelchair into the closet on the plane is when the plane is too small to have a closet that is big enough. In over 30 trips, that has only happened twice.

The gate agent is your friend. Make sure that you go up to the podium and tell them that you want to try putting your wheelchair into the closet. They will sometimes try to talk you out of it, but if you smile and tell them that if it doesn't fit you have no problem with gate checking it, they will usually tell you to go right ahead. My spouse is an expert at breaking my wheelchair down into a pretty small package.

The flight attendants can be either absolutely wonderful or they can pitch a fit about it. For the wonderful ones, we tell them that we have no problem with them packing stuff around the wheelchair when it is in the closet. The awful ones we just ignore. And only once have we needed to ask them if it was going to be necessary to get a complaint resolution officer involved. Which made the difficult time they were giving us magically disappear.

I much prefer having my wheelchair in the closet if at all possible and as long as we get to the gate ahead of time, tell the gate agent and remain firm but pleasant in our interactions with airline personnel, it usually goes quite easily.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[DisneyWheeler]

We stored my manual wheelchair in a closet on an American Airlines flight. The person who checked my mom and me in (this was before DH), suggested it. I'm so thankful that my manual wheelchair can fold easily. The steward/stewardesses on the flight would fold it up after my mom took off the parts and store it in the closet for us. My mom would have to wrestle the back off the chair (it was one of those custom-made backs), and she hated it because it was so difficult to get off sometimes. Now, my manual wheelchair has one of those tension-adjustable sling backs that folds with the wheelchair. The only parts that have to be removed on my manual wheelchair now, are the cushion, footrests, armrests, and extension push handle. Because my mom is now suffering from nuerothopy in her legs and ankles, this makes it much easier on her to take my manual wheelchair apart for folding.

Of course, now that I can walk some, unaided with my AFO, I help her carry the wheelchair parts on the plane.

Samantha

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Sounds like I'll be trying it and just see how far we can go. Does any of you have any idea about what the sizes of the closets you used were? (yep, neurotic me ). While my chair has a fixed seat with foldable back, it does fold into a small package. We've had it fit into spaces a standard manual with sling and seat wouldn't fit in, but also vice versa. It really al depends on the type of space. I'm not worried at all about taking it apart. My parents are also coming along and my dad is my everyday 'wheelchair repairguy' anyway.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sounds like I'll be trying it and just see how far we can go. Does any of you have any idea about what the sizes of the closets you used were? (yep, neurotic me ). While my chair has a fixed seat with foldable back, it does fold into a small package. We've had it fit into spaces a standard manual with sling and seat wouldn't fit in, but also vice versa. It really al depends on the type of space. I'm not worried at all about taking it apart. My parents are also coming along and my dad is my everyday 'wheelchair repairguy' anyway.

My DD's current manual wheelchair is a Quickie GP, which folds down from the back. That will fit in some closets as long as the wheels are popped off. The wheels are kind of a tight fit for the depth of some closets. She also has a Jay deep contour seat and back. When those are removed, they do fit in the overhead bin.
The best way to find out the size of closets on your particular flight is to call the airline and ask about the closet on the plane assigned to that flight. They may change the plane assignment later and you might have a different type of plane when you get there with a different closet, but at least you will know what is on the scheduled plane.