ECV on plane

[stitchlovestink]

I would call SW and discuss the situation; you may need to tell them that she wants/needs to take the ECV all the way down to the door, but does not need the aisle chair as long as she can go straight to her seat.

It may be that they will have a manual wheelchair for her to get down the jetway; some airlines and/or airports prefer to take ECVs down directly from the gate because if they are over 50 pounds they will have to take it to a lift or elevator so that it an go down to the ramp area, and be loaded into cargo. Typically, the airlines that I fly on will let you take it all the way to the door, and then a gate agent or someone from "host services" will take the ECV back up the ramp to the gate, and then send it down.

Call SW, and see what their plans are to accommodate her to the gate of the plane.

Honestly, it won't do much good to call them again. She's already been told their typical procedure. At this point it is up to the gate agent to handle the situation as they see fit within company guidelines and they are not going to tell travelers all the possibilities of how the gate agent may handle the situation because they do not know the variables that may apply that particular day. Her best bet is to speak with the gate agent as soon as the gate agent is available.
Also it is a rare ECV that weighs less than 50lbs. Only ONCE has my ECV been taken back up the jetway to an elevator. SW has lifts they can use right at the end of the jetway where the plane door is. When you get to the end of the jetway, and are about to enter the door to the plane, there is another door to the right (at the end of the jetway) it is for SW crew to access gate checked items as well as other needs.

We are taking DMIL's scooter for the first time this June and flying SW (she always rented before). When I called in to tell them, they told me that when we got to our gate, the agents may take the scooter then to put it under the plane before boarding started. I'm taking from other people's experiences that they wait till we board? We paid for EBCI for all of us (there are 6) and DMIL would like to wait and board with us. Will they let her?

I fly SW with my ECV several times a year. They aren't going to let her wait in the regular line unless she can stand. There just is not room in the regular line for ECVs or WCs.
I have never not been allowed to keep my ECV until boarding. I check it at the gate and leave it right at the entrance to the plane. I am boarded prior to general boarding so that they have plenty of time to work on stowing my ECV. Even if she chooses to transfer to a WC, she will still be boarded prior to general boarding. She can take someone from your party with her. Explain to her that it truly is in her best interest to preboard as once general boarding (and EBCI is a part of general boarding) begins, people aren't always patient. SW WANTS those in ECVs and WCs to preboard so that they aren't rushed and have the time they need to safely board. Explain to her it is for her own safety!

 

[ktate82]

I fly SW with my ECV several times a year. They aren't going to let her wait in the regular line unless she can stand. There just is not room in the regular line for ECVs or WCs.
I have never not been allowed to keep my ECV until boarding. I check it at the gate and leave it right at the entrance to the plane. I am boarded prior to general boarding so that they have plenty of time to work on stowing my ECV. Even if she chooses to transfer to a WC, she will still be boarded prior to general boarding. She can take someone from your party with her. Explain to her that it truly is in her best interest to preboard as once general boarding (and EBCI is a part of general boarding) begins, people aren't always patient. SW WANTS those in ECVs and WCs to preboard so that they aren't rushed and have the time they need to safely board. Explain to her it is for her own safety!

Thanks for the reply. She can walk without the ECV, but she can't walk through both airports. In the past, we have gotten a wheelchair and pushed her ourselves till we got there, then she got out of the wheelchair and waited with us. SW usually moves pretty quickly once line up starts so she won't have to stand very long. She will be ok to give up the EVC before boarding and walk down the ramp with us. She may take it slower, but I have been behind kids that playing down the ramp would take longer than her.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Thanks for the reply. She can walk without the ECV, but she can't walk through both airports. In the past, we have gotten a wheelchair and pushed her ourselves till we got there, then she got out of the wheelchair and waited with us. SW usually moves pretty quickly once line up starts so she won't have to stand very long. She will be ok to give up the EVC before boarding and walk down the ramp with us. She may take it slower, but I have been behind kids that playing down the ramp would take longer than her.

Why is she so against preboarding rather than risking holding up the line???
Just because you paid for EBCI doesn't mean you will get an A boarding pass. Which means you can potentially board behind family boarding. Also if the flight orginated somewhere else first, there's a good chance there will still be passengers onboard when you go to board. It really is in her best interest to preboard. It helps the whole process move more quickly and fluidly when those who need extra time or assistance preboard. Please encourage her to be thoughtful and courteous to her fellow flyers, just stay on her ECV and preboard rather than causing a backup.

 

[ktate82]

Why is she so against preboarding rather than risking holding up the line???
Just because you paid for EBCI doesn't mean you will get an A boarding pass. Which means you can potentially board behind family boarding. Also if the flight orginated somewhere else first, there's a good chance there will still be passengers onboard when you go to board. It really is in her best interest to preboard. It helps the whole process move more quickly and fluidly when those who need extra time or assistance preboard. Please encourage her to be thoughtful and courteous to her fellow flyers, just stay on her ECV and preboard rather than causing a backup.

Doesn't most people want to sit with their families when they fly? We have all flown together before, and she doesn't really take any more time than others. We will be storing her carry on, and she will take an aisle seat, so all she has to do is walk down the ramp behind one of us and one of the kids, follow us into a row, and take her seat. I also feel if she wants to walk, then she can walk. It's a matter of her independence, and she as long as she wants to walk, then she will walk. She only uses the ECV for long distances as she gets wore out. Thank you for your opinion as to what works for you. I'll let my MIL know what her options are, and let her decide what she would like to do.

 

[stitchlovestink]

She'll pretty much be guaranteed that aisle seat by preboarding. She'll also be GUARANTEED to sit with family that way because she will be able to take someone with her. She can take one row of 3 seats and her companion can take the other row of 3 seats since SW doesn't have an official written policy regarding seat saving. So if both take the aisle seats, your family will have guaranteed seats together....which may or may not happen otherwise. But I guess you are determined to find that out the hard way when you are possibly sitting apart on the plane.

 

[ktate82]

She'll pretty much be guaranteed that aisle seat by preboarding. She'll also be GUARANTEED to sit with family that way because she will be able to take someone with her. She can take one row of 3 seats and her companion can take the other row of 3 seats since SW doesn't have an official written policy regarding seat saving. So if both take the aisle seats, your family will have guaranteed seats together....which may or may not happen otherwise. But I guess you are determined to find that out the hard way when you are possibly sitting apart on the plane.

How would that be a guarantee? Someone else could sit in those seats they are trying to save and then we wouldn't be together. I also don't feel it's right to save seats on SW. If a butt isn't in the seat, it's open. We have flown several times all together, paid for EBCI, and never not been able to sit together.

As I said before, thanks for your opinion. Not everyone's way of doing things works for everyone. We will go with the flow and do things as MIL wants to (as it is her at the center of this) and do what works best for her and our family.