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Getting Walker to MIL


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Hopefully I don't get flamed for this. On our next cruise, I was going to bring my mother-in-law one of those wheeled walkers (It is a walker that had a seat on it and all wheels. a lot of time older folks use them to help them get around). She doesn't generally use one as she is in overall good health, but our cruise is pretty port intensive and she wanted it to help her get around and save her energy. She gets tired out walking long distances and her legs have given out on her before. I have a spare one that was my grandpa's I told her she can use. The issue is she is about 700 miles away from us, and I do not have the time available to drive it to her before the cruise. And while it is collapsible, it doesn't fit in my suitcase. I could always wheel it around the airport, BUT that makes me feel weird as I don't need it personally and I wouldn't want to take up any carry-on space for other passengers on my flight that might actually need space for a walker. Can I treat it like a checked bag and just have it go with the suitcases? Or is that a bad idea? Is it best just saying sorry, it just won't work?

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Don’t feel weird, I happened to be a younger person and I do use a walker occasionally as I’ve had back surgery and I have severe drop foot now. Last time we went to the airport to catch our cruise, I pushed my walk her through the airport took it to the gate got a gate check ticket, and they put it underneath for me when we got on the plane and gave it back to me when we got off. Very easy

 

 

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I would think it fine as checked luggage. People check collapsible strollers so not much difference as far as I can see. The problem might be an extra charge since it may/will be counted as an additional item.

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It is safer to take it with you to the gate and gate check it. Less likely to get damaged. Put your carryons on it. Noone needs to know that it is not yours nor that you don't need one. Many people had hidden weaknesses that necessitate an assistance device. Check it over and see how to adjust the height, as I doubt your grandpa and MIL are the same height, and it really should be set t the proper height for the person using it. Go to a medical supply store and ask them how to determine what the height should be. EM

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BUT that makes me feel weird as I don't need it personally and I wouldn't want to take up any carry-on space for other passengers on my flight that might actually need space for a walker. Can I treat it like a checked bag and just have it go with the suitcases? Or is that a bad idea? Is it best just saying sorry, it just won't work?

Heck my husband, who doesn't need one of those walkers, would like to push one around just to have the rolling seat.

Use the rolling seat as needed until you get to the gate and check it there. It'll get a bit better care that way.

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Don’t feel weird, I happened to be a younger person and I do use a walker occasionally as I’ve had back surgery and I have severe drop foot now. Last time we went to the airport to catch our cruise, I pushed my walk her through the airport took it to the gate got a gate check ticket, and they put it underneath for me when we got on the plane and gave it back to me when we got off. Very easy

 

 

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I had the same experience when I had to fly interstate here in Australia, alerted the airline before flying and everything went smoothly. Coming back I needed transport to the plane as I was loaded first on the lifter. A nice staff member collected me from the waiting area, took me to a car and drove me out to the plane. I asked if I should stay in the middle of the striped walkway for safety, and was told, "Yes please Miss."

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Hopefully I don't get flamed for this. On our next cruise, I was going to bring my mother-in-law one of those wheeled walkers (It is a walker that had a seat on it and all wheels. a lot of time older folks use them to help them get around). She doesn't generally use one as she is in overall good health, but our cruise is pretty port intensive and she wanted it to help her get around and save her energy. She gets tired out walking long distances and her legs have given out on her before. I have a spare one that was my grandpa's I told her she can use. The issue is she is about 700 miles away from us, and I do not have the time available to drive it to her before the cruise. And while it is collapsible, it doesn't fit in my suitcase. I could always wheel it around the airport, BUT that makes me feel weird as I don't need it personally and I wouldn't want to take up any carry-on space for other passengers on my flight that might actually need space for a walker. Can I treat it like a checked bag and just have it go with the suitcases? Or is that a bad idea? Is it best just saying sorry, it just won't work?

 

 

I am pretty sure that all airlines do not charge for mobility devices. They don't charge me for my scooter.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I just posted this on another thread:

 

I took my new rollator on the Crown Princess in March.

 

Yes, do NOT check it w/baggage! I made that mistake going to FLL in March. Somehow American Airlines managed to NOT put it on my simple 2 hr. direct flight! It came on the next flight 2hrs. later (midnight!) & was slightly damaged. Coming home, I checked it at the gate!

 

BTW, the AA ticket agent at my airport STRONGLY urged me to check the walker w/baggage: "it's company policy" (not so!). On returning, the AA gate agent told me to NEVER check my walker w/baggage; it would surely be damaged or lost. Lesson learned!

 

There is another thread on this forum that I started several weeks ago about transporting a rollator. Good luck!

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