Flying & Wheelchair questions

[lpandorf]

We are flying into Orlando and driving down to the Daytona Beach area for a week of vacation. My husband needs to use a wheelchair to get around. We will need to have one with us for the week. Can we bring his and gate check it like I did with a stroller when the kids were little where I'd wheel them up to the plane and the airline workers would put the stroller in at the end? He can walk enough to walk onto the plane and get to his seat if wheeled to the end of the ramp. Or is there a place at the airport we can rent a wheelchair when we get there? He'll need the wheelchair to get around the airport and also around during the week. This is all new to me so I thank you for your help. Last time we flew he did not need a wheelchair and I'm not sure how to handle this all.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Yes, you can gate check the wheelchair like you did a stroller. Most airlines also have early boarding to give wheelchair passengers more time to board. They usually allow one family member to board with the wheelchair person, especially if the family member is pushing the wheelchair.

 

[popgfd]

You can gate check and you should be one of the earlier boarders. it evens out as you will be one of the last off while waiting for your chair.

TSA tens to be a bit more understanding when you go thru security with your own chair/ecv. we got to WDW 2x's a year and it works well.

if you do ME, you can get a lift if your DH has difficulty with the stairs --you may wait 30 to 60 minutes for the lift bus though..

absolutely no worries.

Pop

 

[SueM in MN]

If you look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread, there are 2 posts that will be quite helpful to you.
One is about air travel and talks about going thru security with a disability and gate checking a wheelchair. There is no additional charge to travel with a wheelchair and it will not count toward your baggage allowance.

There is also a post about Disney's Magical Express, including pictures of the wheelchair lift.
If he is able to climb the stairs to the bus, the wheelchair can be folded and placed in storage under the bus. If he is not able to, he will be able to ride the lift up while he sits in the wheelchair. Then the CM will attach the wheelchair to the floor of the bus and he can either sit in the wheelchair or transfer to a bus seat.

The disABILITIES FAQs thread is near the top of this board or you can follow the link in my signature. Post one of that thread is an index that tells where to find the different subjects.

 

[Zeora]

If you can bring one you already have, I really recommend it. As others have mentioned, it doesn't count toward your luggage allowance. And it will not only save you money at the parks from renting one, I personally found that the park chairs were much less comfortable than having my own. Be careful when you gate-check it, though - I almost lost an armrest cushion once because it wasn't attached solidly enough (luckily, after some poking through the cargo hold, the airline found it for me). Check the chair thoroughly before you leave and make sure nothing is loose or likely to easily come off in transit or by being handled by airport employees, and it'll help make sure the chair can still do its job when you arrive.

If for some reason you can't bring one, you shouldn't need to pay to rent one at the airport - request one at checkin and the airline should have some that can be used to get to the gate (and right to the plane if necessary) for no charge, and they should also be able to have one waiting for you at your destination to get from the gate to your bus or whatever.

 

[Dan1]

Ditto on gate checking the wheelchair.

For us, I wheel my daughter to the plane, hold her hands to help her walk to her seat on the plane, then go back to her wheelchair and remove the seat cushion and the back, then fold the chair (it is surprising how many customer service air line folks don't know how to do that.....most just stop and stare).

I then bring the seat cushion and chair back into the plane and place it in the overhead compartment.

I hope that helps,
Dan