1st time flying with wheelchair

[mitsugirly]

I had an injury months ago and will be taking a cruise in a little over a week. I have been using a wheelchair and sometimes a walking boot if it's a short distance. In an airport, that may be a little too much and I will probably be using my wheelchair.

 

What exactly do you do with it once you are rolled down the ramp to get on the airplane? I hear them talk about "checking in" items but how and when do you do this? Do they take your wheelchair, once you get on the plane, and take it down to where your luggage is?

 

If you have a plane change, do they go down and get your wheelchair and have it waiting for you when you get off?

 

This is all new to me and I'm starting to freak out a little, especially about plane changes and getting my wheelchair in time to get to the next plane. 

 

Any advice and tips would be appreciated and helpful. Thanks

[DUTRAVEL]

If you want to stay in your own wheelchair, you need to tell the airline that you want to do that - it is called "gate checking" your wheelchair. The first thing to do is either go on-line or call your airline and add your wheelchair to your reservation (you can also request assistance to the gate). Depending on the airline, you will get your wheelchair tagged for your flight at either the check in desk if you are checking luggage or at the gate. Go speak to the gate agent as soon as someone is available at the gate and tell them you want your wheelchair brought to you between flights - they can appropriately tag the wheelchair to make that happen. The airline should have someone to push you down the jetway in your chair and then they will load it on the airplane. Be sure to remind them as you are getting on the airplane that it is your own wheelchair and that it is to be loaded on the airplane.

[GeezerCouple]

7 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

I had an injury months ago and will be taking a cruise in a little over a week. I have been using a wheelchair and sometimes a walking boot if it's a short distance. In an airport, that may be a little too much and I will probably be using my wheelchair.

 

What exactly do you do with it once you are rolled down the ramp to get on the airplane? I hear them talk about "checking in" items but how and when do you do this? Do they take your wheelchair, once you get on the plane, and take it down to where your luggage is?

 

If you have a plane change, do they go down and get your wheelchair and have it waiting for you when you get off?

 

This is all new to me and I'm starting to freak out a little, especially about plane changes and getting my wheelchair in time to get to the next plane. 

 

Any advice and tips would be appreciated and helpful. Thanks

 

You might also want to post this on the "Disabled" section of CC:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/

 

Good luck; hope your cruise goes well!

 

GC

[rwdtgb]

We traveled for the first time bringing our own wheelchair. We called the airline ahead of time, checked in and rolled through security. We arrived at the gate spoke to the agent  and got the chair tagged. They wheeled us down to the plane and then we left the chair. When we landed we waited until the end to get off the plane and the chair was waiting at the door for us. This was on American and I am sure all other airlines work the same.

[mitsugirly]

15 hours ago, DUTRAVEL said:

If you want to stay in your own wheelchair, you need to tell the airline that you want to do that - it is called "gate checking" your wheelchair. The first thing to do is either go on-line or call your airline and add your wheelchair to your reservation (you can also request assistance to the gate). Depending on the airline, you will get your wheelchair tagged for your flight at either the check in desk if you are checking luggage or at the gate. Go speak to the gate agent as soon as someone is available at the gate and tell them you want your wheelchair brought to you between flights - they can appropriately tag the wheelchair to make that happen. The airline should have someone to push you down the jetway in your chair and then they will load it on the airplane. Be sure to remind them as you are getting on the airplane that it is your own wheelchair and that it is to be loaded on the airplane.

 

We fly with Southwest, so I don't think there's anything that you can add to the reservation on there with them. I know I have heard them make announcements in the boarding area about checking/tagging items, but I have never paid attention to them. 

 

I'm now wondering if it would just be easier to use one of their wheelchairs and just check mine in?

 

14 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

You might also want to post this on the "Disabled" section of CC:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/

 

Good luck; hope your cruise goes well!

 

GC

 

Thanks! I thought about that but since this was a airflight specific question, I thought maybe this would work out better here. If I have any additional questions/concerns, I will definitely post over there. 

 

24 minutes ago, rwdtgb said:

We traveled for the first time bringing our own wheelchair. We called the airline ahead of time, checked in and rolled through security. We arrived at the gate spoke to the agent  and got the chair tagged. They wheeled us down to the plane and then we left the chair. When we landed we waited until the end to get off the plane and the chair was waiting at the door for us. This was on American and I am sure all other airlines work the same.

 

Hmmm, I don't think that would work out too great for me if we have a plane change because there's not much time in between. 

 

We fly with Southwest and I do know they allow the disabled people, sitting in the front, get off first, not waiting until the end. I wonder how they manage to get peoples chairs to allow them to get off first then? Or maybe they are just using the airlines wheelchairs?

[springssparrow]

We flew with my FIL who is in a wheelchair. We took him down the ramp to the door of the airplane and then they transferred him to a narrow wheelchair that would fit down the aisle. We were first on, then did it in reverse to get off the plane, so were last off. I think when we checked in online before the flight we indicated that we needed a wheelchair assist. This was on Alaska Airlines.

[slidergirl]

Go to the Southwest website, go to the bottom of the home page and click on "Special Assistance."  It has a section for wheelchair usage.  

I think it would be a toss-up on whether or not to check the chair and use the airport support services or "gate check" it and wait for it and roll yourself.  Since you can do a short space with the boot, I'd roll yourself, have them gate check, and then hop onto the plane.  The one time I had to use a wheelchair, I used support services since it was a multi-flight, international set of flights.  I didn't have my own chair, anyway (accident on vacation).  Once I was put at the door of the planes, I literally hopped with the help of a flight attendant.  Fortunately, the flights were all Business and not cattle car to I didn't have to worry about the other 2 people crammed into the row with me! 

[mitsugirly]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

Go to the Southwest website, go to the bottom of the home page and click on "Special Assistance."  It has a section for wheelchair usage.  

I think it would be a toss-up on whether or not to check the chair and use the airport support services or "gate check" it and wait for it and roll yourself.  Since you can do a short space with the boot, I'd roll yourself, have them gate check, and then hop onto the plane.  The one time I had to use a wheelchair, I used support services since it was a multi-flight, international set of flights.  I didn't have my own chair, anyway (accident on vacation).  Once I was put at the door of the planes, I literally hopped with the help of a flight attendant.  Fortunately, the flights were all Business and not cattle car to I didn't have to worry about the other 2 people crammed into the row with me! 

 

I will have my husband and child with me, so he will be able to push me if I check the wheelchair in. I will just need them to find me a wheelchair. They will allow him to push me in their wheelchair without them having to do that right?

 

I did go on the website and updated the Special Assistance needed area. I didn't realize it was there or you could do that. 

 

Yea, I did get hurt once while vacationing in Aruba and used their assistance and it was wonderful. I didn't have a chair at that time as well. I did have my husband and child with me as well, so didn't have to worry about anyone else crammed in the chairs beside me and not being understandable about me stretching my hurt leg out or having to hop around them to get to the bathroom. 

[Algebralovr]

Ask the agent their opinion regarding using your own WC or theirs when changing planes. 

If they know you have a plane change, they can have baggage position your WC so that it is first off.

 

I've had good luck with mine being there waiting for me when I get off the plane, but I've never had a short time to change.  I know I move slowly, so give it plenty of time.

[waterbug123]

On 12/5/2019 at 1:14 PM, mitsugirly said:

 

We fly with Southwest and I do know they allow the disabled people, sitting in the front, get off first, not waiting until the end. I wonder how they manage to get peoples chairs to allow them to get off first then? Or maybe they are just using the airlines wheelchairs?

 

You might be able to get off first, but end up waiting in the jet bridge for them to bring your chair up. 

 

On 12/5/2019 at 4:30 PM, mitsugirly said:

 

I will have my husband and child with me, so he will be able to push me if I check the wheelchair in. I will just need them to find me a wheelchair. They will allow him to push me in their wheelchair without them having to do that right?

 

 

If you use the airline's wheelchair, your husband would not be left to just "find a wheelchair."  That's a service you need to arrange in advance with the airline, and I believe that service comes with the assistance of a staffer who pushes your chair, even when you are traveling with a companion.  I could be wrong, but I don't think you can just use their chair, and go off with it unaccompanied (by an official staff person).  I say this because I have never seen someone in an airline/airport wheelchair who didn't have an airport staffer pushing them.

[mitsugirly]

6 hours ago, waterbug123 said:

 

 

If you use the airline's wheelchair, your husband would not be left to just "find a wheelchair."  That's a service you need to arrange in advance with the airline, and I believe that service comes with the assistance of a staffer who pushes your chair, even when you are traveling with a companion.  I could be wrong, but I don't think you can just use their chair, and go off with it unaccompanied (by an official staff person).  I say this because I have never seen someone in an airline/airport wheelchair who didn't have an airport staffer pushing them.

 

I've only had to use a wheelchair once at the airport and we had someone push me to the waiting area and then they left (we had some time before our flight left). My husband pushed me around the airport shopping, getting something to eat, bathroom breaks and even went into the bar there. I can't imagine staff sitting there waiting with you for the entire time before getting on another plane. I mean you go to the restroom, you go to get food, restroom again, waiting in the lounge before boarding. Do they really sit there with you the entire time, especially if you are traveling with a spouse that can push it? Seems like a waste of staff resources to just be hanging out with a passenger everywhere they go? I do know they push you down the gangway from the waiting area to boarding the plane. 

[GeezerCouple]

15 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

 

I've only had to use a wheelchair once at the airport and we had someone push me to the waiting area and then they left (we had some time before our flight left). My husband pushed me around the airport shopping, getting something to eat, bathroom breaks and even went into the bar there. I can't imagine staff sitting there waiting with you for the entire time before getting on another plane. I mean you go to the restroom, you go to get food, restroom again, waiting in the lounge before boarding. Do they really sit there with you the entire time, especially if you are traveling with a spouse that can push it? Seems like a waste of staff resources to just be hanging out with a passenger everywhere they go? I do know they push you down the gangway from the waiting area to boarding the plane. 

 

Some people who cannot walk the long paths through large airports can make it down the jetway on their own.  In that case, if this is communicated to the 'pusher', then they might be left in a seat near the gate agent desk.

But if you do need wheelchair assistance to the plane door, then someone will come back for you a short time before boarding.  It might be the same person, or it might not be.

 

And if you ask to be taken to the rest room, they'll do that.  But don't wait until boarding time.

 

Most airports have this nicely under control.  Most...

 

GC

[waterbug123]

21 hours ago, mitsugirly said:

 

I've only had to use a wheelchair once at the airport and we had someone push me to the waiting area and then they left (we had some time before our flight left). My husband pushed me around the airport shopping, getting something to eat, bathroom breaks and even went into the bar there. I can't imagine staff sitting there waiting with you for the entire time before getting on another plane. I mean you go to the restroom, you go to get food, restroom again, waiting in the lounge before boarding. Do they really sit there with you the entire time, especially if you are traveling with a spouse that can push it? Seems like a waste of staff resources to just be hanging out with a passenger everywhere they go? I do know they push you down the gangway from the waiting area to boarding the plane. 

 

Well yes, if you arrive really early, they will get you through security and to the gate and then might leave for a bit if you still have a long wait.  If that's the case, then sure, your husband or other companion could wheel you over to the restroom, newsstand or a food vendor, but a staffer would be back to assist you on to the plane and then take the wheelchair back at that point.    My point was that you don't just check in at the ticket counter, and then randomly go searching for a wheelchair to use as if it's a shopping cart at the grocery store;  you arrange ahead of time for wheelchair service.

And back to your original question, yes, if you show up with your own chair, you will take it to the end of the jet bridge and then it will be checked plane-side.  It will be taken down to the luggage hold, and will be brought back up to the jet bridge for you at your destination.  Some people cannot even walk short distances and in that case you can arrange with the airline (again, in advance) for a special wheelchair that fits down the aisle to get you to your actual seat.  I believe in cases like that you either need to be able to transfer yourself without help to your seat or it is your responsibility to bring along a companion to assist you; the airport/airline staffer is there simply to push the chair and then return it, not physically assist you getting in and out of the chair and your seat on the plane.

[mitsugirly]

We had no issues, either using my own wheelchair on the flight down and then using their wheelchair on the way back. They gave us their wheelchair to use between flights with no issues and said as long as we had someone to push me. It worked out great. Thanks to everyone who offered advice. I appreciate it.