Traveling by air with a 92 year old woman. Any tips or advice?

[Laz]

We will be flying with my 92 year old mother-in-law this spring. She is very healthy and active for her age, but she is still 92. We have no direct flights available, and many times a stop over requires a terminal change. One thing I do know is to allow plenty of time between flights, but I would appreciate any advice or tips on helping her navigate airports. Thanks in advance!

 

[Muhlenberg]

We take my 92-yo mother every year. Ours are always direct flights, so I can't help with connecting flights. We always have her ticket marked as needing a wheelchair/help to get through the airport. She doesn't normally need a wheelchair at home, but walks very slowly with a cane. Using a wheelchair to get through the airport is essential, at least for us. We get it as soon as we walk through the door, and she rides the rest of the way. The skycap helps at security, too, as that can be a bit challenging. She stays in the wheelchair at the gate, and then pre-boards. The FA may or may not request that you sit in the first few rows. We've had that happen one time, but the rest of the time we've chosen rows further back. With connecting flights, I'd aim for the first few rows. And make sure the FA knows you have a connecting flight and need a wheelchair.

ETA...we fly SWA where we choose our own seats. I'm not sure how it works on other airlines.

 

[sam_gordon]

We will be flying with my 92 year old mother-in-law this spring. She is very healthy and active for her age, but she is still 92. We have no direct flights available, and many times a stop over requires a terminal change. One thing I do know is to allow plenty of time between flights, but I would appreciate any advice or tips on helping her navigate airports. Thanks in advance!

I would suggest giving some more information... can she walk/stand/sit for long periods? Does she require physical assistance (cane, walker, wheelchair, just a hand)? Does she need food and/or medicine at certain times? Hearing difficulties? Balance difficulties?

 

[Laz]

I would suggest giving some more information... can she walk/stand/sit for long periods? Does she require physical assistance (cane, walker, wheelchair, just a hand)? Does she need food and/or medicine at certain times? Hearing difficulties? Balance difficulties?

Most times she seems to be physically and mentally like a lady who is 70. Stamina is my concern, given how taxing flying can be.

 

[georgina]

With my mom, who was 94 the last time we took her on a plane - anti-anxiety medication, and/or wine. Wheelchair transport was also a must.

 

[Carriemel]

Here's a problem...if she needs a wheelchair, most of the time, she will be the last to get off. This is because it takes a while to get the chair down the jet bridge to plane side because of all the other non-wheelchair users are walking off.

Don't go in assuming that she'd be able to get off the plane quickly.

 

[Pooh2]

Here's a problem...if she needs a wheelchair, most of the time, she will be the last to get off. This is because it takes a while to get the chair down the jet bridge to plane side because of all the other non-wheelchair users are walking off.

Don't go in assuming that she'd be able to get off the plane quickly.

We had a very close connection last summer with my mother-in-law along. If we had waited to be last out of the plane for a wheel chair to transport her to the other end of the airport (was about a 15 minute walk!), we would have missed our connecting flight. As it was, we were the last to board before they closed the doors. So definitely something to keep in mind for tight connections.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We traveled with DMIL until she really couldn't do it any more. If she needed to use the restroom on the plane or in an airport, someone needed to keep an eye on the door so that when she came out she didn't get lost (yes, even on her way back to her seat in first class.) Sometimes the wheelchairs in airports just weren't wide or sturdy enough, so the wheels slightly tilted toward each other and brushed against the metal sides of the chair, which caused enough friction it actually burned her hips. (We purchased her own wheel chair after that.) She insisted on traveling with an unnecessary carry-on bag, but left it behind at the airport gate more than once. As long as a relative was assigned to keep track of it, we were fine. She used a walker in her hotel room, but sat in the wheel chair when there were long distances to cover. When the walker was out of sight, it was out of mind, so again, someone needed to be assigned to keep track of it. She didn't like to be a burden on the family so she tried to walk instead of being pushed in the wheel chair. Which made her overly tired, and her balance wasn't wonderful to begin with. One night on the way to dinner on a cruise she fell and hit the back of her head with a sickening thud. No permanent damage but she had a head ache for several days. After that we insisted on using the wheel chair.

If your DMIL gets overly tired traveling, you may notice her memory isn't what it should be, and she'll be less spry. Make sure she gets lots of rest, and really pamper her.

 

[PattiPB]

I know she doesn't normally use one, but does she have a wheelchair? I ask because my dad had his own wheelchair, and it made EVERYTHING easier. He was the first person loaded on the flight, could disembark at his leisure because the wheelchair was gate-checked and waiting for us, and we had it when necessary throughout the trip.

Stamina is a big issue with my mother now (87, but looks and acts mid-60's), and if she travels with us to Florida this summer we'll be bringing her own folding wheelchair (my dad's old one), because of how easy it made the entire last trip with my dad.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would get a wheel chair when you get off the plane. This is what I did for my Dad. There are usually chairs near the gate just ask if you can use one. There are tons of people rushing through airports and I would hate for her to get run into. So be safe and get her a chair.

 

[Carriemel]

Most of the time, those chairs are used by the skycaps, and they tend to get testy if someone takes their chair, which deprives them of tips.

 

[Vijoge]

Make sure she goes to the bathroom just prior to boarding. Those teeny, tiny, bathrooms are hell.

 

[xlxo]

We have no direct flights available, and many times a stop over requires a terminal change.

To clarify.... which airports are you making your connection flights. Some airports are easier than others. Can't believe LAX terminal changes means getting on a bus and a bonus security check (hand, body, cavity, carry-ons, shoe's, electronics, liquids, WMD's, and NFL's)

 

[Laz]

To clarify.... which airports are you making your connection flights. Some airports are easier than others. Can't believe LAX terminal changes means getting on a bus and a bonus security check (hand, body, cavity, carry-ons, shoe's, electronics, liquids, WMD's, and NFL's)

The connection would either be Charlotte or Atlanta.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

If you are connecting in ATL make sure it is a connection with no less than a 1hr and 30 minutes connection time. ATL is a crazy & massively busy airport. I would pick Charlotte to connect through if it were me.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

OTE="Carriemel, post: 56980292, member: 198168"]Most of the time, those chairs are used by the skycaps, and they tend to get testy if someone takes their chair, which deprives them of tips.

Most of the time, those chairs are used by the skycaps, and they tend to get testy if someone takes their chair, which deprives them of tips.

Oh well. There were at least 20 SWA wheelchairs sitting at the gate when we got off. I ask the SWA gate agent if I could take one and they said it was ok. Dad did not need the help of a skycap because he was not traveling alone he had me to push the wheelchair. I have seen lots of non sky cap people pushing people in airport wheel chairs. Skycap are mainly to help push if you need the help.

 

[WDWNY]

Take advantage of the early boarding they offer for people who might need more time. She might not, but it gives you guys time to settle everyone.