Kati
Patient in training
- Messages
- 5,497
All airlines (at least in the US and Canada) are obligated by law to provide services for disabled.
As a passenger, you need to let them know ahead of time (book a wheelchair, oxygen and special requests like meals). Some airports will try to cheap out and leave you at customs (if international) and sometimes you need to request to be dropped off at the door and they will do it (I always have some tip for them). The service needs to be provided to and from the airport gate as required. For me the most difficult part is up the ramp off the plane, as the incline can be quite steep and flights are hard on my cardio-vascular system (I travel with portable concentrator) Interestingly, wheelchair attendants can be fairly mismatched and a tiny elderly woman is not the right match to push a wheelchair and carry on that is twice her size. Do not help them if you can't do it, (tell them to get help) these services are supposed to be provided to you and they are supposed to be adequate. (i was once asked to walk halfway up the ramp, that's a no-no)
If you are lucky they will even stop so you can purchase a meal to go, fill out your water bottle or go to washroom. Just ask kindly.
A few airports have for policy to not cross streets to take you to a shuttle stop at the curb side. However usually it's just a short distance. My last flight, the wheelchair attendant took me straight to my car and refused any tip!
The usual problems I get while traveling alone is the period of time from arriving to the airport to getting wheelchair service, because usually airline will provide service from their counter, and sometimes you have to stand in line waiting to be served, and this can be curbed with careful planning and giving yourself plenty of time before your flight, so you can afford to sit and rest until there is a way to reach the counter.
Lastly, do not hesitate to complaint to the airline in written if services were less than acceptable. Not only you could get compensated for the hardship, you also help the next disabled passengers in getting good service.
As a passenger, you need to let them know ahead of time (book a wheelchair, oxygen and special requests like meals). Some airports will try to cheap out and leave you at customs (if international) and sometimes you need to request to be dropped off at the door and they will do it (I always have some tip for them). The service needs to be provided to and from the airport gate as required. For me the most difficult part is up the ramp off the plane, as the incline can be quite steep and flights are hard on my cardio-vascular system (I travel with portable concentrator) Interestingly, wheelchair attendants can be fairly mismatched and a tiny elderly woman is not the right match to push a wheelchair and carry on that is twice her size. Do not help them if you can't do it, (tell them to get help) these services are supposed to be provided to you and they are supposed to be adequate. (i was once asked to walk halfway up the ramp, that's a no-no)
If you are lucky they will even stop so you can purchase a meal to go, fill out your water bottle or go to washroom. Just ask kindly.
A few airports have for policy to not cross streets to take you to a shuttle stop at the curb side. However usually it's just a short distance. My last flight, the wheelchair attendant took me straight to my car and refused any tip!
The usual problems I get while traveling alone is the period of time from arriving to the airport to getting wheelchair service, because usually airline will provide service from their counter, and sometimes you have to stand in line waiting to be served, and this can be curbed with careful planning and giving yourself plenty of time before your flight, so you can afford to sit and rest until there is a way to reach the counter.
Lastly, do not hesitate to complaint to the airline in written if services were less than acceptable. Not only you could get compensated for the hardship, you also help the next disabled passengers in getting good service.
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