Disability Travel - Webinar: Stowage for Ground Operations

Intended for ground ops trainers, supervisors and customer service reps.

Agenda

Introductions and background information
What is an assistive device
Who uses them

Review of Open Doors Org stowage CD
Discussion Topics
How to read and interpret diagrams and designs
Lifting techniques and stowage techniques
Applicable laws and regulations
Action pictures and videos

Hands on training—What to do if there is damage
Handling, dismantling and general “kick the tires”
Power wheelchairs
3 and 4 wheeled scooters
Manual chair

Goals of session
1. Feeling more comfortable and educated about handling assistive devices.
2. Understanding those who use these assistive devices.
3. Understanding of where to find the answers if there are any questions

Brought to you by:

www.opendoorsnfp.org
www.themobilityshop.com

http://www.webeventsolutions.com/aviation/stowage

After a recent episode wherein my electric wheelchair was severely damaged I would really like to see this video and what they are offering with respect to treatment of power wheelchairs. Unfortunately, I'm not going to spend $99 to find out. As is true with pretty much anything in life education is really key to handling mobility equipment for the ground staff. Those of us that must have their wheelchairs put in the belly of the plane are really at the mercy of the degree of training (and quality of training) that the airlines offer their staffs.

After a recent episode wherein my electric wheelchair was severely damaged I would really like to see this video and what they are offering with respect to treatment of power wheelchairs. Unfortunately, I'm not going to spend $99 to find out.

You could direct the attention of the airline that damaged your chair to this seminar, though.

In addition to taping my business card all over my electric scooter, along with my travel destination, I attach a little card with basic operating directions to the same plastic tie I use to secure the key to the cart to the handle bar.

In all fairness to the airline I use, however. They have never seriously damaged my cart. Once they nearly left it at the door of the plane, and when the jetway rolled back we could see it. They stopped the plane and put it on. At the end of last year, my cherry red bumper sustained a bad scratch.

We reported it, and the following day we were contacted by a representative of the company that manufactured the cart. Five days later an agent came to the hotel where we were staying and replaced the damaged piece and gave us a second piece just in case it happened again. The company that made the scooter did one follow-up telephone call and my airline called a total of four times to make sure everything was repaired in a satisfactory manner.

Overall, I much prefer to travel with my own scooter rather than depend upon wheelchair assistance at the airport.