Flying with a Wheelchair – Our customers top tips

We have been accompanying our customers on flights for some years now, during this time we have witnessed first-hand the improvements that have been made to the special assistance service at airports for passengers with reduced mobility.

If you’re a passenger with a disability or reduced mobility you are legally entitled to support, commonly known as ‘Special Assistance’, what this means is that when travelling by air assistance is available from the moment you arrive at an airport and can cover:

• Your journey through your departure airport
• Boarding the aircraft and during the flight
• Disembarking the aircraft
• Transferring between flights
• Travelling through your destination airport.

We accompany customers each year who take their wheelchair on holiday. We thought we would reach out to some of them and our travel companions to ask for their tips, thoughts and advice on Flying with a wheelchair.

Before Travel

• Contact your airline of choice prior to booking your flights to clarify what facilities and services they offer and be satisfied they meet your needs before you book. Some newer aircraft have cabin storage designed for a collapsible wheelchair to be tucked away during the flight.
• Go online and checkout the facilities at your departure and arrival airports.
• Once you have booked your flight, rather than picking your seats online, it is an idea to call/email the airlines special assistance team, who can allocate you the best seats (sometimes without paying the fee). This will also give you a chance to tell them about any equipment, medical supplies, and details about your wheelchair if required.
• Consider the location of your seat, if seated in an aisle seat, can the other passengers get out if you are unable to move? do you need a bulkhead seat which offers more legroom at the front?
•  A customer told us they once couldn’t book special assistance onto a Ryanair flight as the ambulift was full for that flight. Do not leave informing the airline about your boarding request until last minute.
• If you need to use connecting flights, it is wise to give yourself generous layover time in between as the assistance teams may be delayed in getting you off one flight and onto the next, also reduces the potential stress.
• Consider travelling with another person as this makes the experience more fun and their support can be very helpful. (We offer a worldwide travel companion service for flights)
• Consider taking out Wheelchair insurance, it can seem expensive, but can you afford to replace your wheelchair if it becomes damaged whilst travelling or need to cut your trip short.
• Airline policies can vary and most do not charge extra for carrying medical equipment (depending on amount) and supplies as these are essential items – so pack these separately from other luggage. You can confirm this with the airline prior to travel, but recommendations suggest having a letter from the doctor stating this is essential for travel just in case.
• If an early morning flight, consider staying at an airport hotel the night before as may limit any stress of travelling to the airport.

Things to consider before departure

• Take pictures of your wheelchair before the flight from every angle. If it gets damaged, you have proof and can report this at the arrival airport and assist with any claim.
• If you are travelling with medication, take a few extra days supplies to account for delays, missed flights and stopovers.
• If your chair uses a battery, check with the manufacturer it is safe for air travel, take this confirmation with you.
• If you plan to travel with a power wheelchair, check that the airline can accept the weight, dimensions.  Most airlines will carry these items free of charge.
• Prepare detailed instructions for how to move and store your wheelchair to avoid damage, laminated is best and secured well, perhaps with language translation for your destinations. Photographs can also be beneficial.
• Secure contact information on all luggage & equipment, including telephone number and email. Your destination hotel can be added with a detachable label – this makes it easier to change for your next adventure.
• Use bubble wrap for key parts of chair that could be damaged in transit, stick fragile stickers onto them.
• Keep a backup copy of paperwork and confirmations on a smartphone or devices.
• Cases, the fewer the better or consider a luggage transfer service, they can collect your cases / equipment the day or so before travel and deliver it your destination. 
• Most airlines don’t offer accessible toilets on board. Some will have ‘airchairs’ or ‘an aisle seat’ which allows you to be wheeled to the toilet. You must be able to transfer into loo or have a carer or support for this. The crew on board will not assist with care support.
• Depending on your flight time, you may have to consider the following – Limiting liquid intake before the flight and ‘holding it in’ – which can cause stress if delays during flight. Or you may consider using incontinence pads, just for the flight? You should experiment with these before flying to see how well they work. Or buy urination bags which can be purchased online. Females can buy female urination funnels (She-Wee), Males sometimes use a bottle and blanket for discretion.

Day of flight & During the flight

• It is recommended to arrive extra-early. This gives time for queues, additional checks ad time to iron out any issues. Take confirmation around medication or a Doctor’s letter regarding equipment, health or seating. It may be frustrating to repeat things, but each staff member is doing their job, you should expect them to be friendly and helpful. The check in staff will attach a label to your chair.
• You should confirm with check in staff that assistance is booked, confirm seating is appropriate for your needs, check if an extra legroom is available or required.
• Medical equipment and supplies can include removable wheelchair parts. This can be packed along with a wheelchair repair kit containing tools (have airline confirmation attached that this can board with you) It is best to have medications handy in a separate bag if a staff member insists on wheelchair items being stored in hold.

• Check and tighten all parts on chair before you travel as these can loosen during the flight. You can also wrap handles with cohesive bandage to protect the foam and label parts to avoid confusion over purpose.
• Remember to keep the bag you usually attach to your wheelchair with you on flight.
• If your chair has a cushion, take this on the plane with you and put it on your airline seat for comfort. It can also raise you up, so you feel as if you have more leg room and one less thing to potentially get lost in transit.
• Flying fashion: wear comfortable clothing with layers so you can easily adjust with temperature changes or for toileting. Travel socks can be a great and help keep your feet warm if you are long-haul and unable to get out of chair.

• Having confirmation evidence handy throughout will simplify your experience as the airline representative who confirmed details is unlikely to be present on the day.
• Make your way to Special assistance area and notify them you have arrived and await further instructions. Confirm with them when you will be boarding, (Usually first, think VIP treatment). They should give you a receipt or confirmation for your chair and items that go to the hold.
• If you are travelling with someone or one of our travel companions, you should have time now to browse the shops, get a coffee or a bite to eat prior to boarding. If travelling alone then special assistance team may have you wait in the designated area before taking you to the gate.
  

• If you are unable to use the loos on the plane it is important you get to the final toilet near the boarding gate, ensure you leave enough time for this due to queuing or non-disabled passengers using them!
• With going through security, you may be able to use the fast-track line and can keep your shoes on if it is difficult to remove them. As an alternative to a body scan, the manual pat-down has been described as a full body massage (think VIP again). You will go to a quieter area and can request a private screening.
• This may take more time than your bag scan, so assign your travel companion to collect your things or remind airport staff to keep it safe at the side. Having the Doctor’s letter and your prescription next to medication and supplies can help to speed up checks – especially manufacturer/airline confirmation that a battery pack is flight safe.

• Your wheelchair will be wiped down with paper to be checked by a machine – this magic continues as your shoes get a wipe (more VIP treatment). There are tales of the shoe paper getting a negative result as some grass fertilizer contains nitrogen (also found with bombs). You now know this can happen and can educate security staff if they are not aware. You could also give your shoes a scrub ahead of time!
• It is important to explain to the special assistance teams how you prefer to be lifted, ensuring your safety and comfort and explain what you can and cannot do to assist them.
• Typically, you will be the last to leave the plane as this gives more space and privacy when moving from your airline seat. This also gives time for your wheelchair to meet you at the door.
• If you find that your chair is damaged, report this before you leave the airport (showing before/after photographs). If your chair is unusable ask the airline to provide a temporary replacement.

Remember travel is an adventure and offers us many positive experiences; however no matter how much planning you do somethings are just out with your control and will not go as you planned. We have accompanied customers who have lost wheelchairs, had damaged chairs, flights diverted and having to spend the nights in different country, flights delayed or missed, but it’s all part of the holiday and travel experience. It might cause some frustration, but most times we have found airport and airlines staff to be great at helping us find solutions. It also gives you a great story to tell (good or bad) when you return home.

If you would like to find out more about our travel and flight companion service then get in touch with us today and let’s get planning your next trip.