The holidays are here again starting with Thanksgiving this month, meaning that you and your loved ones may be doing a lot of traveling. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, except that you or one of your own relies heavily on a mobility device such as a walker, wheelchair or mobility scooter to get around.
Call the airline ahead of time if you are traveling with a mobility device to reduce headaches and waiting.
If you’re traveling a long distance by car, then you most likely have a way of transporting the mobility device from previous experience. However, holiday air travel with a mobility device can be a hassle on top of the already grueling process of flying anywhere these days. Allow us to give you a few tips that may help.
First and foremost, check the website of the airline you’re flying with to see their exact rules about mobility devices. In most cases, you can bring your mobility device right up to the gate and have it checked there. Be sure that you can explain how to disassemble it if the airline’s rules require it. From there you can use a provided wheelchair or assistance from an airline worker to get to your seat. Your mobility device should be waiting for you when you land at your destination.
At the security gate, you can request a manual search if you cannot walk through the detector. Also, if you use a cane you have two options: you can put your cane through the screening system and walk through the detector, or you can wait for the cane to go through, have it handed back to you, and then walk through the detector.
You should also call the airline ahead of time to advise them of your limitation, as well as request any assistance requirements to be documented. This gives staff members at your destination advance notice that you will require assistance.
We hope that these tips help you in your holiday air travels over the next few months. From all of us at Medi-Rents & Sales, we wish you safe travels, and let us know if there is anything we can do to help you this holiday season!
Tags: accessibility, cane, manual wheelchair, mobility, mobility device, mobility scooter, power wheelchair, rollator, walker, wheelchair