New Liquid Restrictions for Airlines

[Andrew Bichard]

I was thinking of you Andrew when I read about only airport wheelchairs past security. I'm hoping something can be worked out. It appears that the only difficulty you will have is leaving the UK to get here. Good luck to you!!!!!

(P.S. How difficult is it to change your flight plans and fly out of a different country other than UK??)

In theory, I could drive or take the train to CDC (Paris) and fly from there (assuming there is a CDC/MCO flight), but I would have to cancel my existing tickets and buy new ones. As I am only four weeks away from departure, I would have to buy these full price.

I am flying with Virgin however, and they have a very good disability service. I would hope that the rules will have relaxed before I leave and I will be able to take my chair to the aircraft door as usual.

Andrew

 

[clkelley]

we were over at the beginning of July and they wouldn't allow my son to use his wheelchair back then and that was before all this extra security. My son has special adaptations to his chair to keep him in as he is paralised from the neck down. This didn't happen last year so I was surprised and somewhat worried . another thing they did this time (not only to our son) was to tranfer them in full view of all the queueing passengers waiting to get through security. felt sorry for them

You stated beginning of July. From what I've been reading, they've been following these folks for several months, so maybe this was due to "unadvertised" extra security due to some intelligence they had. I'm hoping it wasn't a security agent just throwing their weight around.

 

[Ali and boyz]

I'm curious.
How did you get him from security to the plane? Did they have anything to help keep him in place?

no Sue we just had to hold him in. felt they could have transferred not only David but the other guy somewhere other than in the line with 400 people staring other than going through security. I find arriving at the USA and the security quite frightening to be honest.

 

[Ali and boyz]

You stated beginning of July. From what I've been reading, they've been following these folks for several months, so maybe this was due to "unadvertised" extra security due to some intelligence they had. I'm hoping it wasn't a security agent just throwing their weight around.

you could be right. we flew last year on 7/7 though and they never done it back then even when we touched back down at the UK which would have been a week or so later than the 7/7/ they alowed the wheelchair right up to the aircraft door both on landing and taking off.

this year they allowed the chair right up to the door both taking off and landing in the UK but not in the USA apart from departing. They did allow my son to sit in his J2 cushion as this is a must for him because he can't feel and would end up with presure sores so that is now a worry if they now don't allow the chair to stay with him before (we were 6 hours dealyed this year so that would have been even worse) and also the cushion.

but there is people and children who are ventilated and have the special wheelchairs that the padding etc right up to your head area so surely they must make exceptions i.e take the passengers away in their chairs and do a thorough security check to allow them to keep them.

oh what a worry

 

[Ali and boyz]

yes, for the moment at least...

that worries me a little, I always like to see dh's chair being safely loaded!

I'm thinking for people in highly adapted chairs they'll have to work something out though

thats what I was thinking binky surely they would have to work something out. my son is a high level spinal injury and it does worry me. I am going out to lunch with my friend on wednesday who is a TA so I am going to ask her re the wheelchair issues.

 

[SueM in MN]

thanks for the information on how you managed.
Good luck and much pixie dust for people who will be traveling soon.

 

[waltfan1957]

Also, in the past I have had baggage handlers damage my chair so I now take everything that comes off, like headrest, cushion, footrests etc with me into the cabin. I dread to think what will happen if they have to be checked.
Andrew

we normally take the footrests of as well, the only time we left the control box on they smashed it could not get it fixed till we came home, not much point in taking a power chair if you cant protect the vital parts we may cancel as well know how you feel, hope you dont have to cancel and they can sort something out by the time you go

 

[MarieS]

With the ban on liquids I am wondering how people with tube feedings are handling bringing cans of formula? I had planned to ship most of it down beforehand, but I always carry a few cans with me for my son in case of delays. Can it safely go in checked luggage without opening due to cabin presure?
Thankfully we aren't flying until next year so there's lots of time to get things sorted out.

 

[Ali and boyz]

Andrew on the news tonight there was a board / sign with green ticks and red crosses on what you can and cannot take and there was a tick at the wheelchair sign however just read this on the BAA website

Pushchairs and walking aids must be x-ray screened, and only airport-provided wheelchairs may pass through the screening point.