Flying with a rigid Wheelchair

I am planning my next cruise and have not flown in 20 yrs. I am thinking of flying to Florida to access to more cruises. I am a full time wheelchair user and us a Quickie Rigid Wheelchair. Everything comes off the chair but only the backrest folds. The last time I flew I had a folding chair ,they took before I boarded. I am a little concerned how they would handle my chair now?. I think I would take off he leg rests and the cushion which my wife could stow but I am not sure about the chair? Any information will be helpful

Thanks

Transfer to the aisle chair at the door of the plane (if there is a jetway). Gate check your chair, after removing anything that comes off (cushion, backpack, arm rests, foot rests, etc., but not the wheels) and carry those on as part of your carry on luggage. Ask the cabin attendant to be sure that your chair gets loaded into the cargo bay (last if possible) and not left on the tarmac. If you are going to need to change planes, be sure the chair is brought up to the jetway for you at each airport, then re-check when boarding. Don't let them transfer the chair with the luggage. That is when the chair is most likely to be damaged (by loading luggage on top of it).

When you are about 30 minutes from the airport (whether final destination or transfer) let the cabin attendant know you will need to have your chair brought up to the jetway, and how much and what kind of help you will need to transfer to the aisle chair and your wheelchair. If you need an escort to the luggage claim area (a good idea) ask for this at the same time. They should radio ahead so that this is all set once you land.

Always take a photo of your chair with today's newspaper on the seat before you go to the airport, and then reassemble your chair and put through its paces BEFORE leaving the airport. If you find any damage, file a claim immediately with the airline.

We have flown dozens of times with my daughter's manual, non-folding wheelchair and have always gate checked it. We have never taken anything off of it before they stow it. We then use their straight back chair to get her to her seat of we are not in the bulkhead seats. Her chair has never been damaged. Make sure you tell everyone in the jetway that the chair DOES NOT FOLD!!

All airlines are different, but the general advice is the same.

Make sure your airline knows you are bringing the chair and give them the dimensions and weight. Ask them to mark everything up for surrender and return of the chair at the airbridge.

Make sure you mark up where the brakes are (I usually put some dangly tags on them) and tell whoever you are surrendering the chair to as well. Make sure they know you want the chair back at the airbridge on landing. I also make sure my chair is marked up with a big, laminated label once I've removed the cushion - the label has my flight number and seat number, plus any connecting flight details. It's overkill, but better safe than sorry.

As Splinter says, take photos and have a conversatiuon with a flight attendant before you land to make sure things are set up and will be problem free.

Finally, register with your airline and also speak with the flight attendant to make sure you get help at the airbridge. Even if you have muscles like Arnie, airports are massive places, carpets are a chore to push on and you might as well get to the lounge / next flight / luggage collection un-hasssled.

Enjoy your flights and cruise. It was ten years before I got back in the air but with a bit of pre-planning it was a doddle.

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p.s. Don't tell them the wheels come off.

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Since I need and use a power wheelchair -- a Hoveround -- we have been limited to cruise from Baltimore (45 minutes away), because of the need of flying to other ports for departures in other cruises.

Please let me know any experience about flying with a large power chair.

Thanks, Herb :confused:

I found when we took our last cruise that airlines are no longer allowing you to take a fixed frame chair to the loading platform. They insist you bring a folding chair or use their chairs (which do not have removable arms for easier transfer to the straight back chair used for actually boarding the plane).

I usually travel with both a fixed frame and a folding chair I use for travel (and transfers to taxis, etc.). Most airlines will let you take two chairs with you.

When we flew Air Canada last July, we wheeled my daughter in her fixed frame wheelchair right up to the plane door then transferred her to the straight-back to get on the plane.

I found when we took our last cruise that airlines are no longer allowing you to take a fixed frame chair to the loading platform. They insist you bring a folding chair or use their chairs (which do not have removable arms for easier transfer to the straight back chair used for actually boarding the plane).

 

I usually travel with both a fixed frame and a folding chair I use for travel (and transfers to taxis, etc.). Most airlines will let you take two chairs with you.

That would be illegal in the USA. Do not allow them to put you in an airport wheelchair!!! A rigid frame chair is nearly always lighter than a folder, so safer for their staff to take to the hold. This is a "rule" I would encourage you to challenge.

I found when we took our last cruise that airlines are no longer allowing you to take a fixed frame chair to the loading platform. They insist you bring a folding chair or use their chairs (which do not have removable arms for easier transfer to the straight back chair used for actually boarding the plane).

 

I usually travel with both a fixed frame and a folding chair I use for travel (and transfers to taxis, etc.). Most airlines will let you take two chairs with you.

Actually when I looked back it was only Austrian Air that seemed to made this stipulation, and they probably wouldn't enforce it strongly. Here is the quote:

"Are you travelling with your own folding wheelchair?

You're welcome to use your own folding wheelchair as far as the departure gate. A "Delivery at Aircraft“ baggage tag will be attached to the chair at check-in, and it will be loaded directly onto the aircraft."