HC w/walking disability...what to expect plane wise

Hubby and I are hopefully taking a cruise to Panama. We have cruised many many times, but haven't flown since he became disabled. My concern is him being able to get to his seat, and using the facility. He is unable to walk, do the airlines have a way to get people back and forth to their seats? He uses a scooter to get around onboard the ships, but that certainly won't fit down the airline aisle. I do know he can use the scooter right up to boarding, but how will he get to his seat and what do they do with his scooter?

If I can't figure this out, I guess we'll just cross this off our bucket list.

Thank you for any and all help or guidance you can give us.

I have taken a mobility scooter many times on a plane. I ave limited mobility so can walk short distances. I normally use the scooter up to the aircraft door, then they take it and put it in the hotel. Sometimes I walk up the aircraft steps, it depends on the airport.

However, if your husband is unable to walk they will take him in a small wheelchair to his seat. These days airlines are very efficient in dealing with disabled passengers.

You need to order special Assistance in advance, not turn up at the airport and expect it to be available.

I know they have wheelchairs they can use for boarding but I would recommend calling the airline to address getting the scooter to your destination. You may also want to speak with them about mobility on the plane re: restrooms etc.

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For boarding and deplaning the gate agent has access to an wheeled transport that fits down the aisle of the plane. The gate agent will wheel him on board. However the gate agent nor the flights attendant are allowed to assist him into or of the seat. Please be advised that the flight crew as well as the gate agent are not able to transfer him from the aisle chair into/out of the seat. Nor are the flight attendant allow to transfer him onto the toilet. If he cannot di thus himself that it's your responsible to assist him If you are unable to assist him that you need to make alternate arrangements or travel with a personal care assistant or companion.

You will also have to make certain the aircraft you flight has some aisle seat in which the armrest collapse to aid in the transfer. Therefore you need to book your seats directly with an agent that can assist you with the proper seat selection

The flight attendants will assist you from your seat and into the chair, and will push you to the accessible lavatory onboard. Please be advised that the flight crew are not able to transfer you from the aisle chair onto the toilet. If you cannot do this yourself, you should make alternate arrangements or travel with a personal care assistant or companion.

Larger, wide-body aircraft (planes with two aisles) typically carry an onboard aisle chair at all times, but it is important to request that one be available on your flights before you travel. It would be unfortunate to realize that an aisle chair was not available, halfway across the Pacific Ocean.

Wide body aircraft include the Boeing 747, Boeing 767, Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A350 and Airbus A380. If you are not on a wide body aircraft and do not think you will be able to go without the restroom and flying on a USA airlines within the USA let the airline check-in agent know and they will load an aisle chair on your narrow body aircraft with more than 60 seats to comply with U.S. Department of Transportation regulation.

Re: scooter - It will be gate checked and return to the jet way at your destination. It's important to note that if the scooter has a lithium battery you will have to check with the airline if it meets its criteria to be allowed on the aircraft. If it does meet compliance than you will be required to remove the battery and take it directly on board with you as lithium batteries can not longer be stored in the cargo area of the aircraft.

Bottom line -You must check with airline before booking your flight on all points.

The airlines are very efficient at getting his aids (scooter, wheelchair) from the gate into the cargo area and back up at destination. (Suspect the person who typed to the HOTEL had fingers on automatic. lol) And as someone else said, they have special little wheelchairs to get passengers to their seats.

I am not sure about using the bathroom in flight. You could certainly ask the airline about getting him to the bathroom during the flight. Is your flight short enough that he could do without? I normally use the last restroom before my gate and then first thing on arrival, as I can only walk short distances. If that isn't feasible for him, ask a full service pharmacy (IOW, not Walmart) about a Texas catheter for him. They are a bit tricky to apply so you will probably want a few extra for practice, and to find out where there are family bathrooms at both airports (departure and arrival) to apply it and remove it afterwards. (I'm a registered nurse so I have applied them many times.)

Just as a suggestion to the OP. Find a cruise you might like. Go through the cruise lines to get an estimate on flight prices. Call the airlines and find out which one that gives you the best services for your DH. If the price is right go for the whole McGilla. Sometimes you have to act a year in advance to get what you actually want.

I was impressed by all of the previous posters. There were some amazing ideas/suggestions.

Just an addendum to this discussion - I completed the "need assistance" form today for our upcoming Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle in May and one of the options was "need assistance to/from lavatory during flight." So clearly this isn't news to the airlines.

OTOH, those cubicles are so tiny that I tried to avoid using them even when I wasn't disabled.

Just an addendum to this discussion - I completed the "need assistance" form today for our upcoming Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle in May and one of the options was "need assistance to/from lavatory during flight." So clearly this isn't news to the airlines.

 

OTOH, those cubicles are so tiny that I tried to avoid using them even when I wasn't disabled.

You're not kidding about the size of the bathroom!! What is "OTOH"?:confused:

You're not kidding about the size of the bathroom!! What is "OTOH"?:confused:

OTOH is text speak for 'on the other hand'. EM

OTOH is text speak for 'on the other hand'. EM

Thanks for the info. Do you also know what is "NOTB" - I see that a lot.:)

None Of Their Business

I am assuming you are talking about flights within the US (Florida, CA, etc). If so, there are regulations requiring the airlines to provide assistance.

This is our actual experience, as my brother cannot walk and we have flown many times. Since your husband cannot walk, you should request an aisle chair. Make certain that your pre-request for assistance when filling out the airline booking forms indicates your husband cannot walk (specific blocks to check). Then once the booking is complete (assuming that you do this online to avoid the booking fee), call the airline and ask for the special needs/services dept. Advise them that your husband cannot walk and requires an aisle chair and request seating near the front of the airplane.

When you get to the gate to check in, remind the gate agent that your husband requires an aisle chair. You will be preboarded and usually before the other wheelchair/disabled passengers. The company that provides the wheelchair assistance within the airport will handle taking you down the ramp and loading you on the airplane (with two people handling this).

There are seats on the airplane where the arm lifts up and this is what you are usually assigned by the special services. (If the airline seats don't have the arm that raises, the people assisting the boarding will lift up your husband and put him over the arm into the seat, but my brother says this is very uncomfortable). You want to be near the front because we have been on many planes where the aisle is much more narrow and the aisle chair barely fits down the aisle. (Plenty of room down the first class aisle, but coach aisle more narrowed).

There is a special aisle chair on most airplanes that can be used by the flight attendant to help your husband to the bathroom, but this aisle chair is much more difficult to use and many lavatories are not wheelchair accessible. Even the ones that are are tiny. So try your best to plan for no bathroom use. We use the catheter as recommended by someone else. We also rarely book direct flights that are many hours (cross country) in order to allow for a bathroom break in between. Use the disposable underwear also, in case of a bowel accident from the inability to get to the bathroom or get there quick enough.

For non-stop flights, book connecting flights at least one and one half hours apart. The airline often pairs connecting flights of only an hour or less. While you will be first on, you will also be last off. So you have to give plenty of time for the transfer and you also want to plan for a bathroom break. You may have to call the airline to be able to pair flight segments with enough time in between.

I suggest checking the scooter through to your destination after your originating gate check, so that if you have a connecting flight, you can use the airlines wheelchair to go to the next flight's gate. So put that in your booking request (again there is a box to check). When you check in for your first flight, remind them you need assistance all the way through including the connecting flight. This will save a little time for your connecting flight transfer.

Also, many airports don't have family or companion bathrooms. If your husband needs to go to the bathroom in the airport and there is no companion bathroom, go to the ladies room and use the wheelchair stall. Once in a while there has been an airport employee at the entrance to the bathrooms and I've explained the need. They have done the following: let us go in the ladies room, take us to an alternate bathroom that has an accessible toilet, and wait until the ladies or mens room empties and block it until we finish. Suggest avoiding the mens room if you can because my experience is that those are much more nasty than the ladies room. :D

To katisdale and Essiesmom: thank you for the explanations

To: Montgomery Family - what a detailed explanation you took the trouble to do. Great information for people to be aware of. How nice of you to take the time.:)

I suggest that you not check scooter all the way through. I have done this and been sorry.

You always have to be at the airport hours early. If you check scooter and get an airport wheelchair and pusher, you are often dumped at the gate area. You are then stranded and unable to get to the bathroom or anywhere else until the gate agent comes with a chair and takes you down into the plane with no chance to go to the bathroom. If you keep the scooter with you, you can be mobile right until you get on the plane and the ramp workers will bring it to the door of the plane when you have arrived. It sometimes, most times, does take a while so you really do need to book connecting flights at least an hour and a half apart...I usually aim for two hours if I'm going through big airports like Dallas, Chicago, Washington Dulles or New York. Sometimes your arrival and departure gates will be quite a distance apart. Also, didn't see this mentioned on this thread, but the airlines carry medical paraphernalia with no charge including scooters, chairs, CPap machines, etc. Be sure and have your scooter or chair "gate tagged" at the gate so the ramp people will know to bring it to you at the door of the plane at interim airports. I always ask them to bring me my key after they load my scooter just so it doesn't get lost. Sometimes they don't need the key and just free wheel it, depends on the airport.

Have a great trip! You'll be a pro at this after the first time.......sounds more complicated than it is...

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Just wanted to add that although the airlines are legally required to accommodate those with disabilities, in my experience the employees really want to make sure you have a good flight - they aren't just going through the motions. They simply aren't knowledgable about what you need so they appreciate explicit instructions, or even questions - "what do I need to do to make sure my scooter is brought to me for the connecting flight?'

And a smile and a "thank you" never hurts. ;)