Flying with disabled person

[Mom+4]

Can anyone tell me the procedure for flying with someone who is in a wheelchair? My elderly mother has not flown since becoming disabled 1 1/2 years ago. She is completely wheelchair dependent, can only use her walker for very short distances (about 20 feet). Questions are:

1. How does she get on the plane? Will her walker fit down the aisle?

2. What happens to her wheelchair and walker? Are they considered carryons, or do they get put in the baggage area of the plane? If they are checked, how does she get them back when she arrives since she can't get off the plane without them?

3. Does she need to get to the airport extra early because of her disability? Will they allow an extra person to go to the gate to help her, if that person is not travelling? She will be with my
SIL, but could use the muscles of my husband or son to facilitate things.

Thanks for any answers and information.

 

[Gary M]

I'll try to answer some of your questions about your mother's situation. My mother needs a wheelchair to get to the gate, but can walk on the plane after she gets there. She always preboards. I get a pass from the airline she is taking , so I can wheel her to the gate, even though I'm not flying at that time. They give me the pass at check-in(Indianapolis). Make sure you tell the airline, when you make the reservations, about your your mother's situation, so they can seat her up front. They will preboard her in a special(narrow wheelchair). Make sure you tell the agent about the preboarding.

My DW broke her foot/ankle while we were on vacation in New Orleans last year. She was in a cast and couldn't walk at all. We were worried about the flight home and were amazed how great Delta handled her. No problems at all and we were treated great. The airlines are pros at this and I'm sure everything will go very well.

 

[SueM in MN]

1. How does she get on the plane? Will her walker fit down the aisle?

The walker will probably not fit down the aisle, but if she can walk holding onto seatbacks or holding onto someone, she may be able to walk. For people who can't walk, they have an aisle chair available. That is a special narrow wheelchair that will fit down the aisle for her to get to her seat.
You can work with the Special Needs Department (they may say they don't have one, but the do have some department in each airline that handles special needs. A person with a disability can usually reserve seats way before the seat assignments open up to everyone else. They can also make sure that she gets a seat close to the front of the plane.

2. What happens to her wheelchair and walker? Are they considered carryons, or do they get put in the baggage area of the plane?

They do not count against her checked or carryon baggage allowance. If they are small and can be folded, they can be brought onto the airplane and put in the closet. A walker will usually fit in the closet, but some wheelchairs are too big for the closet (and some airplanes have small closets. If she wants the walker/wheelchair in the closet, they have to allow her to put them there if they fit, no matter what the flight attendant says (sometimes the flight attendent will say the closet is for use of first class passengers).

If they are checked, how does she get them back when she arrives since she can't get off the plane without them?

She can do a gate check, which means that she keeps them with her and can use them up until she actually gets on the plane. Depending on the plane and how big her wheelchair is, she may even be able to wheel the chair into the entrance/front galley area of the plane. When she first checks in, she should let the agent know that she will want to gate check to wheelchair and walker. They may give her a gate check tag right a away (a special baggage tag that indicates that the wheelchair should be delivered to the gate) or they may tell her to get a gate check tag from the gate agent. Just don't wait until boarding has begun - do it before.
Also, make sure that the gate agent knows that she will require extra time and would like to pre-board. They used to automatically pre-board anyone with a wheelchair; they often don't do it now unless you ask.

3. Does she need to get to the airport extra early because of her disability?

If she doesn't have a seat assigment (or they assigned her row 47, like they did us last trip, she should get there early). Going thru security takes a little longer because they will hand chekc the wheelchair and walker. If she is able to walk, they may allow her to walk thru the scanner, but they will still hand check the wheelchair.

Will they allow an extra person to go to the gate to help her, if that person is not travelling?

Not sure about this one, since we always travel with DD (who uses a wheelchair). I have heard of people with disabilities who are traveling alone being allowed to bring someone to the gate with them. This probably varies by airport, so check with the travel agent and the airline.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Mom + 4, I noticed that you are most likely flying out of STL. American is very helpful. We took my Sister- in- Law in 01 and she never leaves her chair. We lifted her into the airline chair and she boarded that way. We were luckly enough to be able to use DH status to upgrade her to first class and she could get into the 1st seat pretty easily. They did gate check the chair and that went just fine. Be sure to let them know ahead of time that you will need the airline chair and extra time or help. Enjoy your trip.

 

[CarolA]

Don't count on the closet. While they are required to put the stuff in the closet there are makes of planes out there without closets. (or with the world's smallest closet and a wheelchair won't go!)

 

[CarolA]

One other thought. However goes with her to the gate has to meet the security requirements. I recently saw a man pitch a fit because he was walking his 10 year old to her gate and the TSA would not let him take his pocket knife. I think they were originally willing to just hold it for him, but then he acted out and they told him if he went down there it was GONE. (He was a real jerk, I felt sorry for the kid who was about to die of embarrassment. )

 

[SueM in MN]

Don't count on the closet. While they are required to put the
stuff in the closet there are makes of planes out there
without closets. (or with the world's smallest closet and a
wheelchair won't go!)

That is true. Sometimes the closet isn't a full length closet and a folded wheelchair won't fit, but a folded walker should still fit. A small plane might not have a closet. You should be able to get information from the airline and the gate agent about the presence and approximate size of the closet so that you can tell if there is even a chance of the wheelchair fitting. Count on the gate agent being helpful and the flight attendents being not too anxious to let you use the closet - the first class FA usually sees it as for the exclusive use of First Class passengers and it's where the FA hang their coats.

 

[NotUrsula]

Depending on the size of the walker, it may fit in an overhead bin. DH's grandfather has one that folds very compactly, and that's where he usually puts it. If it is flat, other bags can go on top of it, so it won't take up the whole bin.