transferring to aisle seats

[Ali and boyz]

have just read a UK thread stating airlines will no longer assist in ailse chairs . our son couldn't get into the plane seat without one. anyone heard of this both in the UK and America. without the ailse seat we wouldn't be able to fly


here is what I read

We are booked for November 2008 and when we did our special needs form i requested aisle chair boarding/unloading as we had in september of this year for my wife.

Well we received a hand written note from stating they would not be able to offer aisle chair assistance and i would have to get my wife to her seat.


So anybody with disabled partners,children etc,be warned from the aircraft door, to their seat, it will be up to you to get them there.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Is this for a specific airline? If so, which one?

Any assistance which you expect an airline to provide should be confirmed with the specific airline. Please do not rely on comments in discussion groups.

 

[Texasmomof3]

That can not be a US airline. Even one flying into the U.S. since I assume they would have to follow the ADA requirements which are extensive or face major repercussions just as all U.S. carriers do. We even have to have aisle chairs stowed on the airplane for passengers to get to and from the bathroom etc in flight.

 

[madenon]

Hi Ali,

I doubt it that this could be a fact. Maybe that person got wrong information. Maybe they mentioned the 'you can get an aisle-chair, but when needing to transfer and not being able to do that without assistance, there needs to be a 'caregiver' travelling with the disabled person.

The EU finally is finally putting attention to flying with a disability and there are some law-changes coming up in 2008. With that in mind, combined with my experiences that even 'terrible' airlines and airports have got aisle chairs for at least boarding and deplaning, I really doubt it that any european carrier within the EU will deny you a aisle chair.

My advice; contact the airline you're thinking about flying with. Ask them about what they can offer you at the time you'll be flying. Get everything in official writing and don't hesitate to ask for a supervisor. I tend to call the airline to talk everything over and then book by ticket online while finishing my 'last minute information check' (which I'll have done before to make a pre selection). I'll get the ticket online, and with the same phonecall get all the things arranged I need. Never have I relied on making online arrangments, as travelling with a disability can require a solution per person and an online questionare can never offer you that. I find this is the easiest and quickest way to avoid possible miscommunication and making sure all the stuff like airport assistance, aisle chairs, giving them enough details about the chairs etc. is all put in place.

 

[Ali and boyz]

thanks everyone, I have contacted our TA who is going to contact the airline we are flying with. both the airlines mentioned on the other forum were Virgin and TCD, we are flying with Thomas Cook. I had phoned the airport last night and they said it was up to each individual airline which confused me because its always ground staff who bring the ailse chair

 

[SueM in MN]

thanks everyone, I have contacted our TA who is going to contact the airline we are flying with. both the airlines mentioned on the other forum were Virgin and TCD, we are flying with Thomas Cook. I had phoned the airport last night and they said it was up to each individual airline which confused me because its always ground staff who bring the ailse chair

In the US it is ground staff employed by the airlines who assist with the aisle chair.
For any airlines, I would always suggest going up to the next supervisor if you receive a reply that does not seem reasonable. It may well be that the person who answered has never gotten that question before and instead of checking, they just said no.