[wheelchairteen]

I wondered if anyone could please tell me what it's like to fly with a disability?

I'm 19 and will be flying for the first time ever in april (UK to Florida) It will be an 8 hour flight and i'm quite nervous about it all. I'll be flying with a group who i will be staying with but i won't meet them till the day.

I can't stand or walk at all, and i'm worried about needing the toilet (i am fully continent) I've read some planes have an "accesible" toilet which may prove very difficult to transfer to.
I also have a fairly costly wheelchair worth about £5000 it will have a removeable jay backrest and headrest and i'm worried about them loosing parts or damaging my chair, or worse still that my chair doesn't meet me at my destination! My chair is rigid and with the solid back won't fold.

Also what is it like to sit on a plane seat. Are you allowed to sit your own pressure cushion?

I've done quite a bit of reading about it online, but there seems to be so many negative reviews of flying!
Is it really all so bad?

Thank you!

This post has been edited by wheelchairteen: 25 February 2010 - 08:47 PM

[Travelling Blackbird]

Flying with an SCI needs preparation, but it's manageable.

I don't know what level your injury is, but if it's a low thoracic or lumbar injury (which is what I assume from your descriptive "waist down"), then you won't have too many problems.

First, call the airline and tell them your booking code, and that you're a wheelchair user. Then tell them:
- that you are travelling with your own wheelchair;
- whether it is a manual chair or a powerchair;
- the height, width and front-to-back length of the chair in its smallest configuration (e.g. folded);
- the battery type, if it is a powerchair (not all batteries can be transported by plane);
- that you need assistance: getting onto the plane, getting into your seat, getting off the plane;
- that you need an aisle wheelchair on board for getting to the bathroom*;
- that you would like an e-mail confirmation of this information.

*At this point, they may ask if you can transfer from an aisle chair to a toilet seat yourself, as the cabin crew are not permitted to help you with this. In my experience, they will often help, but they are not insured to do it and we are not supposed to expect it.

Get to the airport 2 hours before your flight, and repeat the relevant information at check in (assistance, aisle chair). Make sure they tag your wheelchair as luggage, and that they put a "deliver at aircraft" tag on it.

You know the way planes for long-haul flights have three seats on the left, four or five in the centre, and three on the right? I advise you to get an aisle seat in that block of seats in the centre of the plane (usually D-G or D-H) - not on the left side or right side. That way no-one has to climb over you to get to the bathroom.

They will ask if you need assistance getting to the gate. Take it if you want. Then someone will walk you through security and so on. If they don't ask, and you want assistance, ask for it.

You will be boarded first, so be at the gate early. They'll bring you to the door of the plane, then transfer you to an aisle chair. You can take your wheelchair cushion onto the plane with you and sit on it if you want to, or stow it as hand luggage if you prefer.

I've flown with a folding manual wheelchair and a rigid manual wheelchair all over Europe and across the Atlantic. I've had countless good experiences, and only two negative ones. Once I had to wait a couple of hours for my wheelchair, but I was compensated for having to wait, and once I had my tyres go flat in the hold. I also had a little trouble with the bathroom once. However, that's against probably 30 good experiences. My longest flight was 14 hours.

You'll be fine. Deep breaths, don't stress about it, and remain calm.

[macthefox]

wheelchairteen, on Feb 25 2010, 08:46 PM, said:

I wondered if anyone could please tell me what it's like to fly with a disability?

I'm 19 and will be flying for the first time ever in april (UK to Florida) It will be an 8 hour flight and i'm quite nervous about it all. I'll be flying with a group who i will be staying with but i won't meet them till the day.

I can't stand or walk at all, and i'm worried about needing the toilet (i am fully continent) I've read some planes have an "accesible" toilet which may prove very difficult to transfer to.
I also have a fairly costly wheelchair worth about £5000 it will have a removeable jay backrest and headrest and i'm worried about them loosing parts or damaging my chair, or worse still that my chair doesn't meet me at my destination! My chair is rigid and with the solid back won't fold.

Also what is it like to sit on a plane seat. Are you allowed to sit your own pressure cushion?

I've done quite a bit of reading about it online, but there seems to be so many negative reviews of flying!
Is it really all so bad?

Thank you!

Hi to you
I can realistically only comment on the facilities on the plane -----------
see my piece on the general facilities on this website under wheelchair
accessible toilets on airlines.. I cannot add much to this for other airlines
but if you are with friends who can help it can work but you should talk to
then in advance just so that they know.
You will see other suggestions on the site all of which can work you just
have to decide which is for you - that way you will relax and enjoy the
flight and holiday.
You can sit on your pressure cushion or anything else that you wish - no
problem
I fly several times each year and have never had a bad experience but I tend
to fly longer journeys on the airline that I know gives me facilities that I
need. Remember that the aircrew do not make the rules they only work there
and so, smile, ask nicely and politely and talk to them about any possible
concerns - if this does not work being abusive and losing your temper surely
won't improve things and in fact will only make the trip worse Think how you
would react if you were in their position with an aggressive passenger -
would you go out of your way to help? You need to find how to make it work
so that you can travel again, and again not stay at home and feel excluded.
But I am sure that you will have already worked this out in life anyway - I
travel everywhere on my own and have spent a lot of time in Vietnam and can
always find help to do anything that I need just by asking with a smile.
I cannot help with opinion on your chair 'cause mine is a manual one but I
haven't seen lots of complaints about loss or damage - make sure that easily
detachable parts are marked and if not too big taken into the plane with
hand luggage but yours sound as though they would be fixed and so no
problem.
Many flights have got better and in the future will doubtless be enjoyable
but until then we must make the best that we can with what is on offer or
stay at home and I know which I will continue to do but it does not stop me
complaining to those that have influence whenever the opportunity arises.
Enjoy your trip and if it is difficult try Singapore airlines next time and
see how easy it is.
mac