FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Was this woman running a "wheelchair scam?"
Old Jun 24, 2012, 8:10 am
  #7  
Yaatri
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 22,778
I don't know how many people are running a wheel chair scam. Sometimes things do appear suspicious. There may be reasons we don't understand.
Once I had to travel a bout 10 days after abdominal surgery, which advised me to not bend for six weeks. The airline suggested that the best way to handle TSA would be to ask for wheel chair assistance, my wife could wheel me to the TSA checkpoint, get me through the security and on to gate. She could do any bending necessary for going through security. I had no trouble walking. At my connection in DTW, they had already ordered a wheel chair. I told the FA that I could walk. But she insisted, she was very nice, that I should use the wheel chair, as I needed it. She had heard my wife tell TSA guys that I had just had surgery. Through out that trip I was offered a wheel chair when I felt I didn't need it. If you are in a wheel chair, you get whisked through security, unless of course there are many wheel chair passengers.

That said, I know of one person, personally, who asked for a wheel chair because it makes here feel "privileged" to not have to walk, to be able to board. Her husband was feeble and probably did need a wheel chair. The couple, who had never travelled by air before, did not know that wheel chair assistance was available. Their children asked for wheel chair assistance for the husband. When the wife saw how her husband was "pampered", she decided she was unable to walk too.

Another example that might look like a scam. I arrived at JFK and was met by Delta's DM meet and greet person. I deposited my bag after customs for my onward connection. I told the TSA guy at the security that I could not stand with my shoes off due medical reasons. They always send for a secondary pat down and send my shoes through Xray after I have been able to sit down and take my shoes off. But one TSA detail at at JFK had a different idea. They demanded a doctor's certificate, which I did not have. I told them what is done at other airports and that I am told that a doctor's certificate was not needed. A supervisor was called and he sided with the staffer. I was told I WOULD not clear security unless I took my shoes off. The Delta rep was watching this as I was being harassed. He came over to talk to the supervisor, he refused to budge. The Delta rep got on the phone and talked to someone. He asked me to follow him. I thought this was going to get ugly. After we got away from the TSA check point, he told me we would go through another gate, and just in case I were harassed at the other gate too, he asked for a wheel chair even though I told him I didn't need it.
Here, I have described three incidents, in two of which I was personally involved, when wheel chairs were used, but were not necessary.
I think people have caught on that using a wheel chair speeds things up and it is used for that purpose too. I am sure, there is some abuse. I can't say how much.
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