I wrote the following article to post on our website but as it applies to anybody confined to a wheelchair who travels with medical equipment, I thought I'd post it in here as well:


AIR TRAVEL WITH YOUR GO-ANYWHERE CHAIR®

When traveling with your Go-Anywhere Chair entails flying and having to deal with airline personnel and airport security, be prepared! You are, most assuredly, going to be confronted with one or more potential obstacles. First of all, know your rights! There are numerous resources available on-line from which you may easily glean the specifics using a keyword search for “airline and wheelchair”. For our purpose here, however, suffice it to say that your Go-Anywhere Chair is a “fragile medical device” which should be “gate-checked” and is not chargeable as passenger baggage. Having your wheelchairs “Gate-checked” means that you will take your Go-Anywhere Chair through Security, to the gate, and into and down the jet-way. From there, it may either be stored on-board in the closet separating the first-class cabin from coach, or taken down below and stored with your wheelchair in the cargo compartment. The latter method is far more likely, these days, as most airlines, in their efforts to maximize revenue, have eliminated the aforementioned closet and replaced them with more seating. Adequate on-board storage, however, may be available on some of the larger aircraft utilized in international flights. Let’s walk through the process of successfully gate-checking your Go-Anywhere Chair at no charge:

Before leaving home, take the liberty of stuffing your Go-Anywhere Chair carrying case first, with all of your medical supplies and second, with whatever clothing, or anything else, you can squeeze in except for vessels containing liquids or gels. As you will not be charged for this particular item of baggage, you may as well save yourself a few more bucks by filling it up.

Upon arrival at the airline’s service desk, check-in with a representative. Do not check-in electronically at a computer kiosk. Check and, if required, pay for your regular baggage. You can review a chart of all the airlines and their fees at http://www.bestfares.com/...hart.html. Note that Southwest Airlines should be your preferred air carrier as, of this writing, Southwest remains the only airline that does not charge for your first checked bag.

Carefully label and tag all of your baggage and instruct the agent at the counter to provide you with gate-check (pink) tags for both your wheelchair and for your Go-Anywhere Chair. When you are told, (and more likely than not, you will be told), that you have to check your Go-Anywhere Chair as regular baggage, pay for it or are given a hard time for any other reason, it’s time to get assertive. First, tell the Agent that you have always had your shower chair gate-checked. Second, inform the Agent that the case contains “delicate medical equipment” which, if dropped, or if something is dropped on it, will result in damage requiring the airline to replace a $2,000 wheelchair. I guarantee that you’ll be handed a pink gate-check tag very quickly. Should you experience any further problem (which I have not), demand to speak with a supervisor and take names.

Proceed to the TSA security checkpoint. Review TSA regulations specific to travelers with disabilities at: http://www.tsa.gov/travel...ndex.shtm. Inform TSA security personnel that your case contains your commode/shower wheelchair and that it will fit, (albeit snugly), through the x-ray tunnel. To date, following many such security checks, I have yet to have my carrying case opened for inspection.

With the hard part behind you, proceed to your gate, check-in with the Agent at the counter, make whatever seating changes you want / they can make and arrange for an aisle chair to be available, should one be required. When the Agent asks what’s in the case, repeat yet again, “it’s a delicate shower chair”. You will be boarded ahead of the other passengers. Airline personnel, for the most part, well-trained in handling disabled passengers, will assist you down the jet-way along with your Go-Anywhere Chair, transfer board and laptop computer. After they transfer you to the aisle chair and on to the aircraft, they will stow both of your chairs. Make sure that you take your wheelchair seat cushion on board as storing it in the non-pressurized cargo compartment could result in damage to the cushion. The foam cushions on your Go-Anywhere Chair will store in cargo without any problems. Finally, when making connections, make certain that both wheelchair and Go-Anywhere Chairs are brought up into the jet-way and that, one way or another, that they accompany you to your connecting flight where you will have to repeat the boarding process yet again.

Air travel for people with disabilities is a hassle and can be embarrassing and downright uncomfortable. Following the steps in the aforementioned process will not change this fact, unfortunately, though it will make it a little less miserable.

Rick Goldstein
GO! Mobility Solutions
www.GoesAnywhere.com

Here's another good piece of info:

Thanks Rick! The more information we can get out there the better. And, because your rights are protected by the Air Carrier Access Act (14 CFR, Pt 382) if you experience any sort of problem that is directed solely to your disability, immediately ask for a Complaint Resolution Official. The C.R.O. is there to resolve problems that may arise due to your disability and for no other purpose. They are, by law, supposed to be available to any departing or arriving flight. Do not be forced into any "assistance" that you did not ask for or do not want and on the other hand, ask for assistance that is supposed to be there but is not readily available. Go to the following link for more information:

http://www.disabilitytravel.com/airlines/a...act_details.htm

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Rick Goldstein
GO! Mobility Solutions
www.GoesAnywhere.com

Nice post. I travel quite regularly and have pretty much found your narrative to have nailed my experience. I have a Nuprodx chair but, to be honest with you, it's a pain to assemble and pack. Wish I'd seen your model before I'd bought mine. Why such a huge price difference if you don't mind me asking?

Well I don't want to badmouth my competition in a public forum, nor do I wish to imply that there's anything wrong with "their" products. We just designed a better mousetrap and can produce it more cost-effectively. Also, no dealers in between ourselves and the consumer which eliminates about a 40% mark-up. Why don't you PM or e-mail me at rick@GoesAnywhere.com or you can call me on my cell, anytime, at [520] 977-4666, and I can explain quick 'n easy.

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Rick Goldstein
GO! Mobility Solutions
www.GoesAnywhere.com

Has anyone had their crutches x-rayed? I went to Norway two years ago and they asked me to dismantle my crutches so that they could inspect and x-ray them? (And to think I was too scared to take my TENS machine with me!) Could I get them back together?! Almost missed the plane (I was travelling alone) because they had to go and find a wheelchair - which they then insisted on dismantling and checking (it was an airport chair) before I was allowed to continue.

That's shockingly bad form. That sounds like a new or inexperienced security clearance worker, someone who hadn't been trained right. If a piece of walking equipment can go on the belt through the X-Ray (standard separate crutches, a folding walking frame, etc.), it is to be laid on the belt to got through the X-Ray. If not, it should be swabbed and scanned by hand without being disassembled on the other side of the gate, i.e. treated in the same way as a wheelchair.

I've traveled through most of Europe and never had anyone request that I disassemble my crutches or wheelchair or any other equipment.

If you ever feel nervous traveling, remember you have the right to assistance. When you book, call the airline and make sure they add a note to your booking that you have a disability and will need assistance. Then, at check-in, request someone meet you to go through security with you.

I just discovered your sight this morning after running a search for airline travel for quadriplegics. My brother-in-law is a quadriplegic and gets around in a $30,000 wheelchair. Our entire family just returned from a trip to Florida. Half of us fly and half of us travel by car because he is unable to fly without putting this ultra-sensitive wheelchair in the cargo hold of an airplane. A friend of ours with the same condition took a flight to Hawaii for his honeymoon and upon arrival, discovered that his chair was broken in 4 places. I'm certain this completely disrupted their trip and seems to me is unnecessary.
Is there not a better option for people with these severe disabilities to fly without risking their only mode of transportation to the hands of those who have no understanding about caring for their chairs?
To top it off, as they were driving yesterday, they were inches away from being involved in a fatal accident that would likely have been tragic for all 4 of them. My sister has two young children and her only option is to drive now. They always flew, but now it seems that airlines are setup for those with slight disabilities who can still be transferred to a regular seat. However, people who are truly and completely disabled must give up their right to fly. Am I missing something here? The chairs these folks live in are their security blanket and their mode of transportation. They shouldn't have to risk having it damaged to fly.