Found This Over on Transporation Board

[clkelley]

This is regarding United Check Luggage Fees:

An extra wheelchair may be checked and not be part of your checked bag allowance (or assessed a fee) if it is strictly for mobility purposes or is required to make a living. Other medical equipment that is checked as baggage will be considered as part of your checked baggage allotment and fees would apply if you exceed your free allowance

I didn't think that was allowed in the US?? I thought that all medical equipment was exempt from luggage limits.

 

[mechurchlady]

I checked their site and yep that is what it says. I also thought they could not count it as baggage.

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

Y'all might want to alert the DOT on this one! That is discrimination. They are saying that if I wanted to fly United (which I don't), which only offers one checked suitcase, I'd have to go naked my whole vacation because my service dog's bag (food et al., which cannot be purchased in many places we vacation) would be my one free bag. I DON'T THINK SO!!!! (And, no, it isn't possible to put her stuff in my bag - that would make my bag overweight, so they'd charge a fee.)

By the way, what other purposes besides mobility would a wheelchair be for??