Scooter and flying?

[sanddune]

I'm flying Spirit . From Detroit to MCO. Does anyone know how they ship your scooter? Does it have to be counter checked or gate checked?

 

[pugdog]

Which ever you want to do. If you gate check it it will be at the door when you get off, Otherwisae you would have to walk or use an airline wheelchair to get from the ticket counter to the gate and then from the gate to the baggage claim at MCO.
We always gate check. It's alot easier.

 

[clkelley]

As long as it has gel cel batteries and can fit upright through the cargo door, it can be gate checked. (We fly the 35 and 50 passenger small jets, and ours fits no problem). It looks like Spirit Air only has the larger planes: from their website:

Spirit Airlines currently operates three (3) aircraft types – Airbus 321, Airbus 319 and MD-80 aircraft.


Just allow yourself extra time to get through security as they will probably hand wand you, check the scooter all over, etc. Arrive at the gate in plenty of time for them to tag the scooter and load it. At the jetway, you can either walk on board, or use the onboard wheelchair, then the crew will take the scooter down the elevator. Our freewheel mechanism is not real obvious on our older scooter, so we let the crew keep the key and then the FA gives it to us on the flight. Upon landing, we give the key to the FA, and they give it to the crew to deliver the scooter to us.

At MCO, you walk up the jetway, or use the onboard wheelchair, and wait near the elevator for them to deliver it to you.

If you need wheelchair or lift assistance in the jetway or on the tarmac, please let the airlines know in advance.

FYI from the Spirit Air website:

"You can check your wheelchair at the ticket counter or the gate. We appreciate your checking powered equipment that may require disassembly at the ticket counter so we can arrange for proper handling. You may use Spirit's wheelchair equipment after checking your personal wheelchair. Since you know your wheelchairs best, please provide instructions on assembly and disassembly of the wheelchair, if necessary, to accommodate on the aircraft. If the wheelchair is electric, please identify specific battery type, so employees may establish correct federal "dangerous goods" handling procedures. Detachable items such as seat cushions and footrests can be carried onboard or checked with the wheelchair in the cargo compartment.

Batteries
Identify your wheelchair batteries as either spillable or non-spillable so that our employees may establish correct federal "dangerous goods" handling procedures. Wet-cell batteries are considered spillable, so we need to make special preparations to transport them by air. We have to disconnect the battery and protect the terminals against electrical shorting. We have to remove the battery if we cannot fit your wheelchair equipment upright through the aircraft cargo compartment door. The battery will be shipped in Spirit's battery box to meet all federal "dangerous goods" handling requirements. We cannot transport damaged or leaking batteries by air.

Dry cell and gel-cell batteries are considered non-spillable and fewer requirements are required for handling. We can leave powered wheelchair batteries attached when the equipment fits upright through the aircraft cargo compartment door. Spirit personnel will disconnect the battery post connectors and wrap each post connector with tape to prevent electrical shorts during shipping."

 

[sanddune]

Thank you to both of you! I was alittle worried !