The wheelchair traveller

[barnsleyfan]

i have asked a couple of questions and PMS and forgot some of the answers so will try and collate it here.

My wife has chronic back pain which is made worse by not moving around. When we get to the airport she will be dosed up on meds and ok to walk around. She will therefore not want to be sat in a wheelchair for 3 hours prior to boarding. It was our plan to check in the foldup travel wheelchair with the suitcases. There was also a secondary reason for this - to give me wfe a bit more space we have paid extra for extra legroom seats on the dreamliner but one of the terms is that you are able to quickly leave your seat in case of emergency - turning up in a wheelchair wouldnt really support this.

But what concerns me is the other end. After 9 hours my wife is going to be in paid and very stiff:-

1. Would i have to wait until i collected the cases before i could get the wheelchair (as i checked it in with the cases) or should it be quickly accessible (are they stored somewhere differently on the plane)

2. Are cases collected before or after going through immigration?

3. Is there a different line at immigration for parties with disabled people or do you join same queue

[coggie]

Originally Posted by barnsleyfan

i have asked a couple of questions and PMS and forgot some of the answers so will try and collate it here.

My wife has chronic back pain which is made worse by not moving around. When we get to the airport she will be dosed up on meds and ok to walk around. She will therefore not want to be sat in a wheelchair for 3 hours prior to boarding. It was our plan to check in the foldup travel wheelchair with the suitcases. There was also a secondary reason for this - to give me wfe a bit more space we have paid extra for extra legroom seats on the dreamliner but one of the terms is that you are able to quickly leave your seat in case of emergency - turning up in a wheelchair wouldnt really support this.
You won't be able to fool them...you are checking in a wheelchair and they will see what seats you have been allocated. it may not be an issue but be prepared to be asked the question if she can move quickly

But what concerns me is the other end. After 9 hours my wife is going to be in paid and very stiff:-

1. Would i have to wait until i collected the cases before i could get the wheelchair (as i checked it in with the cases) or should it be quickly accessible (are they stored somewhere differently on the plane) Yes you will have to collect with the cases

2. Are cases collected before or after going through immigration?
At MCO straight after immigration


3. Is there a different line at immigration for parties with disabled people or do you join same queue
There is a different queue...but it's one they direct you to...we have used a few over the years

See more...

My advice would be to request wheelchair assistance at MCO, that way they will have a wheelchair waiting for you at the gate and will push it for you until you get to immigration. Once you pick your wheelchair up you can leave the airport one to the side

[Guest]

Cases are collected after immigrations but just ask for wheelchair assistants from the flight. They will then take you through the special assistance line at immigrations. You really need to be asking could your dw move quickly in emergency. This is for safety of all passengers. I'm sure all abled body are removed quickly from flight in emergency and then people with limited mobility

[barnsleyfan]

Originally Posted by mainecoon lover

Cases are collected after immigrations but just ask for wheelchair assistants from the flight. They will then take you through the special assistance line at immigrations. You really need to be asking could your dw move quickly in emergency. This is for safety of all passengers. I'm sure all abled body are removed quickly from flight in emergency and then people with limited mobility

See more...

Thanks. who and when would we ask for the assistance - eg thomsons at checkin, or during flight or do we need to contact sanford beforehand

My wife could move quickly - it would be painful but she could do it. Also i believe it is only the first row of seats that need to be cleared in emergency as they are on route to the emergency exit - we are about 3 rows back so am not sure why the extra legroom seats would be treated any different to normal seats. My wife has survived flights to Egypt without problem, we are just concerned that after 8 hours of being sat she will be a little stiff at the other end

[Kim]

Originally Posted by barnsleyfan

Thanks. who and when would we ask for the assistance - eg thomsons at checkin, or during flight or do we need to contact sanford beforehand

My wife could move quickly - it would be painful but she could do it. Also i believe it is only the first row of seats that need to be cleared in emergency as they are on route to the emergency exit - we are about 3 rows back so am not sure why the extra legroom seats would be treated any different to normal seats. My wife has survived flights to Egypt without problem, we are just concerned that after 8 hours of being sat she will be a little stiff at the other end

See more...

You should be fine in extra legroom seats. It's exit seats where you have to be able to get out of you seat quickly.

Just hand her wheelchair in at the gate and it will be there as you get off the plane. You will also need assistance if there is only the two of you unless she is able to propel herself.

Kim

[barnsleyfan]

Originally Posted by Kim

You should be fine in extra legroom seats. It's exit seats where you have to be able to get out of you seat quickly.

Just hand her wheelchair in at the gate and it will be there as you get off the plane. You will also need assistance if there is only the two of you unless she is able to propel herself.

Kim

See more...

Thats part of the problem. In the morning, before we fly she will be quite mobile as she will have been moving about in the hotel room before transferring to airport. Also she doesnt want the stigma of having to sit in a wheelchair or push it around 3 hours before we board when she will be capable of walking. Its only as the day progresses and she has been stationary on the flight that she will become immobile and in pain. If i gave her the choice of either wheelchair for 3 hours before boarding and on de-boarding or put up with the pain whilst we got to collecting the cases, she would probably say 'i'll take the pain' beforehand, and then regret it later. I'm just trying to avoid that situation, so just want assistance from getting of the plane until we collect her wheelchair.

Buy i don't know who to arrange this with?

[Kim]

Originally Posted by barnsleyfan

Buy i don't know who to arrange this with?

See more...

You will need to ring your airline to arrange it.

Kim

[Trouble3]

Ring the Thomson Special Assistance Line: 0844 871 1600

They're pretty good, just tell them the situation, that she can walk to the plane, but will have problems walking from it... that way she can get help at Gatwick on the way home too.

[BarryandCaron]

I didn't think there was any stigma attached to bring in a wheelchair!

[barnsleyfan]

Originally Posted by BarryandCaron

I didn't think there was any stigma attached to bring in a wheelchair!

See more...

Yeah, sorry, incorrect choice of words typed in haste. What i meant was that my wife would always try and walk in pain before sit in a wheelchair. She doesnt like to impose on people having to push her and feels a bit guilty when she is capable of walking, albeit with pain.