International Travel For Mobility Impaired. Help!

[Loyal]

The last time I flew internationally, I was 15 years younger. Now I am considered disabled (SSDI) and am mobility impaired. I am doing Physical Therapy right now so things are getting better, but I still can only walk about 170 steps on a good day, without needing to sit down. That makes a walk through Chicago Ohare almost impossible when connecting for a flight...especially an international one.

Besides the cramped economy seat from Chicago to Frankfurt (most uncomfortable flight ever), the line in terminal 5, where all connecting domestic flights dump their international passengers in one HUGE mass of people and all their luggage and carry ons ( they do not transfer anything when you get on a international flight). I had an hour and a half layover and it didn't look like I would make the next flight because of this line that seemed a couple of football field long and thirty yards wide. Long and short of it is that I can't do it anymore.

They did have a 1st class line where those bastids just rushed by the riff raff like me in economy.
1. Does business class get to avoid this line along with first class?
2. If I am in Economy again, will they push my wheel chair to the front? I have seen videos for domestic flights and not international.

Anyone know? How about you @SWAdude ?

 

[SWAdude]

The last time I flew internationally, I was 15 years younger. Now I am considered disabled (SSDI) and am mobility impaired. I am doing Physical Therapy right now so things are getting better, but I still can only walk about 170 steps on a good day, without needing to sit down. That makes a walk through Chicago Ohare almost impossible when connecting for a flight...especially an international one.

Besides the cramped economy seat from Chicago to Frankfurt (most uncomfortable flight ever), the line in terminal 5, where all connecting domestic flights dump their international passengers in one HUGE mass of people and all their luggage and carry ons ( they do not transfer anything when you get on a international flight). I had an hour and a half layover and it didn't look like I would make the next flight because of this line that seemed a couple of football field long and thirty yards wide. Long and short of it is that I can't do it anymore.

They did have a 1st class line where those bastids just rushed by the riff raff like me in economy.
1. Does business class get to avoid this line along with first class?
2. If I am in Economy again, will they push my wheel chair to the front? I have seen videos for domestic flights and not international.

Anyone know? How about you @SWAdude ?

@Loyal I have superior knowledge about my airline and inferior knowledge about all the others so please take my take for what it is worth. There are many commonalities between the airlines I am just not certain as to what with whom. Here is my shot.

It is about money for one. If it wasn't we would all have private jets and the skies would be in grid lock like the 405 southbound on a Friday afternoon.

Maybe the best way to share an opinion (since you asked you poor soul)is what would I do? I would find the ticket I am comfortable with and dig into the procedure with that airline. They all have them for the good peeps like you. I am really not sure how one gets from curb to the jetway by wheel chair but that must be easy info to find. I know from plane to curb there are people that will do so no matter how many stops you need to make with consideration that they are not your personal valet. They are a complimentary service that will take care of your immediate needs. Like a stop to drain yourself and claim your luggage.

As for the front of the line with Business class I would imagine you get some damn fine perks there too. One being bypassing steerage in line. They do when you board so why not the check in. I would check though if you think you are paying money for that service.

As they say with air travel, pack your patience. A wheel chair can take time to arrive after arrival but there are many motivated crew members to get your ass off that airplane cause they can't until yours is.

Our airline pre-boards wheel chairs but that is only after you get to the gate. After 36 years in this business until you asked I never really thought about how you get to the gate but we do have wheel chairs boarding almost every flight so there is a way somehow. I see them being pushed through security. Just don't know how it happens on the curb. Google may be your friend on that one.

Don't know if this is of any help but good luck, safe travels and I hope you enjoy the ride! Flying public sucks these days. And money does not buy class. And as always..........

GO RAMS!!!

 

[Loyal]

@Loyal I have superior knowledge about my airline and inferior knowledge about all the others so please take my take for what it is worth. There are many commonalities between the airlines I am just not certain as to what with whom. Here is my shot.

It is about money for one. If it wasn't we would all have private jets and the skies would be in grid lock like the 405 southbound on a Friday afternoon.

Maybe the best way to share an opinion (since you asked you poor soul)is what would I do? I would find the ticket I am comfortable with and dig into the procedure with that airline. They all have them for the good peeps like you. I am really not sure how one gets from curb to the jetway by wheel chair but that must be easy info to find. I know from plane to curb there are people that will do so no matter how many stops you need to make with consideration that they are not your personal valet. They are a complimentary service that will take care of your immediate needs. Like a stop to drain yourself and claim your luggage.

As for the front of the line with Business class I would imagine you get some damn fine perks there too. One being bypassing steerage in line. They do when you board so why not the check in. I would check though if you think you are paying money for that service.

As they say with air travel, pack your patience. A wheel chair can take time to arrive after arrival but there are many motivated crew members to get your ass off that airplane cause they can't until yours is.

Our airline pre-boards wheel chairs but that is only after you get to the gate. After 36 years in this business until you asked I never really thought about how you get to the gate but we do have wheel chairs boarding almost every flight so there is a way somehow. I see them being pushed through security. Just don't know how it happens on the curb. Google may be your friend on that one.

Don't know if this is of any help but good luck, safe travels and I hope you enjoy the ride! Flying public sucks these days. And money does not buy class. And as always..........

GO RAMS!!!

Thanks.
I do know at ORD you have to arrange with the airline you are using to navigate from curb to ticket gate, but it's that huge scrum when transferring to an international flight that I am worried about. Common sense tells me that they wouldn't make a representative from the airline wait for an hour and a half in that line, when they could push to the front of the security line and to the gate in minutes. But hey. airlines don't run according to my common sense....lol

 

[Londoner]

we would all have private jets

As someone who cares about the environment, I most certainly wouldn’t.

 

[SWAdude]

As someone who cares about the environment, I most certainly wouldn’t.

That will solve the problem.

 

[SWAdude]

But hey. airlines don't run according to my common sense....lol

Or mine brother.

 

[Londoner]

That will solve the problem.

Maybe not, but it certainly wouldn’t exacerbate it.

 

[SWAdude]

Maybe not, but it certainly wouldn’t exacerbate it.

Whoa.....who said anything about touching yourself?!?

 

[Loyal]

Whoa.....who said anything about touching yourself?!?

I love all of the private jets fling into Davos or some other city for a conference on Climate. They are such hypocrites, but they don't care. It's all about control of the little people to them...."Rules for thee, and not for me."

 

[Tano]

Loyal,

My wife has MS. I have been on many flights with her.

She has her own foldable motorized (scooter? - damn I forget what they are called)

They are really useful to use in the airport.

But getting luggage at Ohare checked into the international flight may be a huge problem even with a scooter.

Good luck

PS - medicare may pay for a scooter. I am not sure of that though.

 

[Loyal]

Loyal,

My wife has MS. I have been on many flights with her.

She has her own foldable motorized (scooter? - damn I forget what they are called)

They are really useful to use in the airport.

But getting luggage at Ohare checked into the international flight may be a huge problem even with a scooter.

Good luck

PS - medicare may pay for a scooter. I am not sure of that though.

Thanks man..... I can still walk a couple hundred steps and don't quite need a scooter. I have since found that when you buy your ticket and getting a boarding pass(?) with a handicap designation. I think you call your connecting airline, which in my case will probably be Lufthansa, will send a representative with a wheelchair. They will take you to a restroom, if needed, through security and to the gate. The luggage will be an issue because even if you check it through to your final destination, you still have to claim everything and take it with you for inspection/security when boarding in terminal 5 (International gates). I've written to those who handle issues like this at Ohare and am waiting for a response.

 

[Tano]

Thanks man..... I can still walk a couple hundred steps and don't quite need a scooter. I have since found that when you buy your ticket and getting a boarding pass(?) with a handicap designation. I think you call your connecting airline, which in my case will probably be Lufthansa, will send a representative with a wheelchair. They will take you to a restroom, if needed, through security and to the gate. The luggage will be an issue because even if you check it through to your final destination, you still have to claim everything and take it with you for inspection/security when boarding in terminal 5 (International gates). I've written to those who handle issues like this at Ohare and am waiting for a response.

My wife can walk about a 100 steps but she gets tired really easily

So after 100 steps - she is pretty much done for the day

The scooter is really nice and most people are very polite to you too and will let you by with no problems