Hi everyone, I'm making my first airline trip this summer since my accident nine years ago. I've read the other threads about flying and had another question. I'm about 6' 1" and 205 lbs. and will be traveling along with a caregiver/friend. In you all's opinion, where in the plane is the best to sit (of course first class but I have coach tickets)? Right now I'm in the front row but I noticed the armrests aren't movable. I am unable to transfer myself and wondered if getting over that armrest would be a problem or if I should switch to a a bulkhead row with a movable armrest?

I have Emotion wheels on my chair and plan on carrying my spare set of batteries and battery charger onto the flight to Vegas. Would this present a problem getting through security? I want to avoid checking them because (as most of you know) they're expensive and I don't want them damaged.

On another note, I'm staying at the recently remodeled Mirage; has anyone stayed there yet?

My trip isn't until July and I can't wait! Thanks for the input.

Larry

Oh you're going to have so much fun! My husband and his friend are going to Vegas in June (they hope) and plan to stay at the Mirage. Still don't know if they are flying or driving my husband's 1 year old van. It's only about a 5 hour drive from where we live in Arizona.

We've usually gotten lucky when it comes to flying. But it all depends on what airline. Southwest has all the same seating, except for a few planes that have 3 seats in front that face 3 other seats. I know those armrests come up b/c on a trip back from Vegas I had a guy sitting next to me who took up 3/4 of my seat.

I can't even count the number of times we've been bumped to first class. We usually like to small talk with the ticket agent at the counter and a little honey goes a long way. My husband is 6'2" and used to weigh about 190 lbs., but he's lost a lot of weight in the last couple of years. Bulk-head seats are always ideal b/c of the leg room and more room to transfer. Any time we've had assigned seating like with TWA, the people boarding us would just switch seats with someone else and give us the bulkhead b/c it's so much easier to transfer him near the front of the plane, whether it's in first class or coach.

The crew are always very helpful whenever we've encountered an armrest that doesn't come up. Usually my husband can transfer on his own, but there have been times even the captain would help lift my husband to get him over the armrest. They are really careful not to hurt you.

My husband uses a manual wheelchair (Quickie GP) and we always take off anything that we feel might get lost or severely damaged down in the cargo, such as his cushion and footrests and we store them up top.

Hope this helps and have a great time.

i've actually flown twice recently, one trip was fresno to vegas: 1 hr. flight on a little turbo prop, then fresno to dallas on a business jet. just like mentioned above, when you see a ticket checker at the gate go let them know you're on the flight and schmooze a little bit, get the bulkhead seats, i'm 6'3" 150 lbs. plenty of leg room and my dad was able to do a single person transfer.

security wasn't an issue, they looked through my backpack hanging on my chair that had my charger and stuff, then wiped down the chair and check it out.

the turbo prop was a tight squeeze getting me in, but the cargo hold opened enough where they didn't have to take anything off the chair, batteries and everything stayed connected.

the business jet, pictured below was easy to get in and tons of room for sitting. storage for the chair was a different beast. batteries, leg rests, seat back, etc. needed to be taken off, because the base of the chair needed to be put on it's side to fit in the cargo hold. leg rests and everything was stored up in the cabin but it was just a pain, for my dad more than me.

we found that you just have to be stern with them, they try to help and are really nice, but most of them just don't know

they put me in d-7, great seat

The aisle seat is easiest to transfer into and I always ask for the bulkhead (the row right behind first class). Make sure you tell them to keep that aisle chair thing ON the plane with you if you need to go use the bathroom during a longer flight. The last thing you want to have to do is drag your ass down the aisle. I always ask them to let me use the first class bathroom at the front of the plane when I am in the bulkhead seating. And sit on your chair cushion.

On my flight from Los Angeles last week, I got bumped up to first class. I don't think I can ever go back to coach again. It was awesome.

Hi Larry My Husband is C 5-6 and we use the bulkhead. He cannot transfer

him self. There is alot more room there. I am not sure that you would be able to transfer not being in the bulkhead. My husband is brought on the plane with an isle chair. The Mirage is a beautiful Hotel. We got married in Vegas. We have visited several times since. There are accessible taxi's there. I know they have to tag the batteries and the chair has to be were no power is connected. We take his cushion and put on the seat on the plane. Make sure you check your chair out when you arrive for any damage. We have had to report damage a few times. The airlines have been
great about that.

when i fly, i always figure the best seat is the "ejection" seat

Oh I realized I missed your question about security. But as I wrote in my previous post, my hubby uses a manual chair, so I don't know about the batteries.

Just be sure you get to the airport in plenty of time. The last time we flew, the shuttle for the parking place was late in picking us up and we still could have made our flight, but the security people were checking my hubby out for a long time. I had a line to stand in and he didn't have to wait, but I was finished before he was and we missed our flight.

Something odd we thought that happened to my husband was how "handsy" the security guy got with my husband. He usually wears shorts and only has a zippered bag underneath his seat to hold his urinal and most guys just check the bag really quick and have him bend forward so they can run their hand down his back. One time this guy did just that, but then he ran his hands up and down my hubby's legs Of course, I had to tease him afterwards and say, "He likes you." We did ask someone about that though and sometimes that's done because there have been cases of people smuggling things in artificial limbs.

I'm sure things will go smoothly for you. Win Big!

I've only had women do the whole chair/body pat down on me. They're usually extremely gentle with me. They wear surgical gloves, pat me down, tell me before they touch my boob or something, swab my chair and that's it. I have no idea about the battery question as I use a manual chair as well. I've never had an issue with security.

Thanks for all of the replies. I have a Beasy Trans sliding board I planned on carrying on to transfer into and out of the aisle chair. Is that necessary or would it be simpler to just be manhandled?

Larry

Airlines always want to put us in the bulkhead, but really it's not the best solution, in my opinion. Sure it's close to the front, but really that's the only thing "good" about it. Bad things about the bulkhead are that they make you sore all your stuff (like purse, bags or anything up in the overhead). Also, hubby (a C5) can't brace himself with the front seat when the plane lands. As you mentioned, some airplanes don't have arm rests that go up on one side of the plane - that's always hit and miss, you never know what side of the plane is going to do this until you're actually on the plane.

As for transferring with a sliding board, I'd say if you're good (and quick) at transfers by all means go for it. I'd just be worried about holding up fellow passengers. Hubby always get's "manhandled" and then adjusts himself into a more comfortable position when he's in his seat. I say, do what you're comfortable with. If you don't want someone picking you up than sliding board it is.

Oh, and don't forget to take your cushion off your chair and sit on it when you fly. Much more comfy and it will not get lost.

Good luck! Flying is quite an adventure!!

I find that airlines always let me store my stuff with me when I'm in the bulkhead. Or, when the plane levels, one of the flight attendants/friend I'm traveling with always remembers to get it down out of the overhead for me. I just tell them there is stuff in there I need and they never question it. I generally have always travelled with able-bodied friends or my ex husband who helped with any weird transfers but last week, I travelled to California alone and everything was more than fine. Getting into the first class seat was really tricky and I had to be "manhandled" a bit because the arm rests were so high and there just wasn't enough room for me to grip and transfer. The airline was super nice to me, accomodating, and helpful but not overly helpful. Other passengers were also helpful and the flight attendants totally gave me preferential sweet treatment. I'm always super curteous and polite though so maybe that helps, heh. I love being able to get on first. And I don't so much mind getting off last.

I've noticed when we're on time, we're usually sitting for a good 5 - 15 minutes before everyone else boards. The airline personnel often asks what would be the easiest way to my husband in the seat. If the armrest does go up, my husband prefers to transfer himself. He doesn't use a sliding board, but if you want to use one make sure you keep it with you either up top or the flight attendant could find a closet to place it in.

Karen does have a point about the bulkhead seats if you are unable to handle not having anything in front of you. My husband is always fine and prefers the bulkhead seats b/c of the leg room. Also, I take his urinal out of the bike bag strapped under his seat and keep it with us. You are allowed to store things under your seat and we usually do have a carry on in case there's something my husband needs, no one has ever given us a hard time about getting things out of storage. I don't know if you cath or use a leg bag, but I usually ask the flight attendant for a blanket and if hubby has to use his urinal, I'll stand up and use the blanket to give him some privacy, then when he's done, I'll go to the bathroom and dump it.

One other thing I do to make sure we have privacy in case the urinal has to be used. When we get our boarding passes or just waiting at the gate, I ask if the flight is full and if it isn't I usually sit in the window seat. I place a small carry on bag, my purse and maybe a magazine on the seat in between my husband and me so as people start boarding they immediately disregard that middle seat.

Best wishes on your flight!


Question: I'm new to this forum and appreciate it immensely. I am learning new SCI terminology, so please bear with me.

My fiance is a recent (5 months) complete T3 SCI wheelchair user. We would like to take a 5 hr non-stop flight from CA to DC in a few weeks, but have some reservations about what to expect. Sounds like, from what I've read, he can use a leg urinal for the flight, and sit on his ROHO chair seat for some pressure relief, and do some repositioning to keep blood flowing, etc. Does anyone have any suggestions about bowel care for a 5 hr flight? My first thought is to give him an enema prior to going to the airport and literally fly on a wing and a prayer after that

Open to all suggestions.......

Thanks much