Scooter on discount airlines?

[HappyCamperToo]

Hello,

We may be flying to WDW in December if we can get a good deal on a flight. The discount airlines have not yet opened their schedules for December.

Has anyone flown with a scooter on Southwest Airlines or Air Tran? I am curious as to how these two airlines measure up. We will be looking for a non-stop flight. American and United are other possibilites for us.

Thank you.

 

[tarkus]

I've flown Southwest with both a Scooter & a Segway and they will gate check your ride.

Inform the airline in advance & you should have no problem.

Enjoy,
Alan

 

[HappyCamperToo]

Thank you. Southwest's description on their web site did look impressive. I think we'll be good if we fly with them.

Air Tran anyody?

 

[poohbear7]

I've flown Southwest many times with my scooter never any problems.
I let them know when I book that I will be travelling with my scooter and they flag my reservation. I've always been able to gate check my scooter and it's ready for me when I exit the plain. They will ask you what type of battery you have.
You can gate check your scooter if you have gel or sealed batteries otherwise they have to box the batteries at checkin and you would use a wheelchair to the gate.
Southwest makes it very easy.

 

[tarkus]

Heres a little info that may help.

http://www.disabilitytravel.com/airlines/air_carrier_act.htm

Have a happy trip !
Alan

 

[HappyCamperToo]

Thank you for the link.

It's helpful to see what airlines are required to do. I am curious as to what they actually DO do. From what I've gathered, SWA might be a pleasant experience. I'm still interested to hear if anyone has direct experience with Air Tran.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

On our last trip we booked Southwest down and American back. I was very impressed with Southwest. They gatechecked Papa's scooter and were very kind to him and his special needs. I must say I was not as happy with American. They did gate check the scooter but I could tell they were "put out" by the incovienece of it all. They were never rude but just not helpful and friendly. It could have been that the crew was having an off day, it could just be prcedure of one airport (MCO) over another (STL). I would choose Southwest again over American after the experience and the fact that they are almost always less money!

 

[HappyCamperToo]

Thanks for posting. SWA is looking better and better.

They probably won't open up our dates until August--I don't know how I'll manage to wait until then!!

 

[videogal1]

I must say I was not as happy with American. They did gate check the scooter but I could tell they were "put out" by the incovienece of it all. They were never rude but just not helpful and friendly. It could have been that the crew was having an off day, it could just be prcedure of one airport (MCO) over another (STL). I would choose Southwest again over American after the experience and the fact that they are almost always less money!

You are being very kind to American...I have found them to be rude in the extreme...I have NEVER been hassled so much...They would not gate check my scooter and left me sitting in one of their wheelchairs for TWO HOURS...and I was yelling for help!

They insisted on tearing my scooter apart to check that the batteries were gel cell, even after I showed them the manual, as they requested and then proceeded to deliver it to the baggage area at the home airport in pieces at 11PM...after all the maintenance people had gone off-shift...of course it was broken and not running, after I found a supervisor to reassemble it...

One nice thing about Southwest is the carry-on baggage allowance for medical equipment...No limit....Check that on their website and print it out...Sometimes you get an agent who doesn't know their own policy... Otherwise, Southwest is great! Compared to American? Don't bother flying American...I don't any more, especially after the way they treated my Service Dog...

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Yes, I was trying to be nice about it, given the option we will fly Southwest!

 

[HappyCamperToo]

They have to disconnect the batteries, right, even though they're gel cell batteries? For my scooter, that means they'll have to take it at least partially apart. The seat will have to come off, and then a shell that covers the batteries, rear axle, etc.

Will they just disconnect the batteries and then "reassemble" everything for transport? Or will the pieces fly to MCO unassembled? I'm feeling pretty worried about the shell cracking, or the post at the bottom of the seat getting bent/nicked.

 

[SueM in MN]

We just got back from Orlando, traveling on AirTran. We didn't have a scooter, but did have DD's manual wheelchair. We were pleased with how things went with AirTran. They were very nice and helpful (the pilot actually helped an elderly woman get off when she was a little "shaky" getting off).

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

I thought maybe American Airlines was having an "off" day when went to MCO last year. Not helpful at all. Forgot to pre-board DH so he had to contend with people and their things all out in the aisle. He is uses and electric wheelchair every day and is extremely precarious on his feet. They didn't have an aisle chair available so... "<sigh> do you want to wait 20 more minutes <sigh> while we find one?" Of course, DH doesn't want to trouble them so he walks (more like teeters) to his seat. Then, the flight is delayed in the air for 2 hours. It was already going to be a 3 hour flight. Needless to say, after 4 hours on the plane DH became desparate for the restroom. We informed a flight attendant of the situation but without an aisle chair on board and no way he could teeter to the restroom while the plane was moving, he was told we would be landing soon to refuel and he could go then. Well, as soon as we landed, a flood of passengers head to the restrooms and poor DH has to sit and wait for them to get out of the aisle so he can go. At this point DH was near tears and I was ready to hurt somebody. When we finally landed at MCO, after 5 hours on the plane, he sat waiting in his manual chair for an hour for them to bring his power chair. I will NEVER fly American to Orlando again.

 

[bumpysheep]

They have to disconnect the batteries, right, even though they're gel cell batteries? For my scooter, that means they'll have to take it at least partially apart. The seat will have to come off, and then a shell that covers the batteries, rear axle, etc.

Will they just disconnect the batteries and then "reassemble" everything for transport? Or will the pieces fly to MCO unassembled? I'm feeling pretty worried about the shell cracking, or the post at the bottom of the seat getting bent/nicked.

Well, I traveled SWA from BWI to Providence, RI roundtrip and they did not disconnect the batteries on my sccoter. Nor has any other airlines. I have a pride revo scooter. Take the arms off your scooter before you fly. Before we started doing this, we always had damage to the arms.

I don't think I'll fly SWA to Orlando, ever. It's a high stimulation airline, even if you pre-board, there always seems to be confusion. I also do not like the won't resevere bulkhead seating for me with my service dog, because they don't do any seat asssignments. I don't know what I'd do if I had to pre-board behind a couple of others and not get the bulkhead on a full flight. I like disney to start off smoothly. I consider SWA cheap, but not smooth in my sexperince. I rather pay more and be albe to relax. Just looking at SWA corraling system makes me feel ill.