Disability Travel - Traveling with a wheelchair on AA?

I will be traveling on AA for the first time in years in a a couple of months, to attend a conference. I'll be going alone this time. I've booked Business Class (2-class aircraft) and am hoping everything will go OK. Does anyone have any experience with AA? Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Step one: ensure you have a gate tag for your chair. I also always try to ensure that my carry on baggage is something that I can handle easily on my own because staff in American airports tend to be...uh...not so helpful? Or if they're helpful, they're really slow and then expect a tip (see the thread below on this topic).

Other than that, the most eventful part of your trip will be getting on/ off the plane. Be assertive about what help you do/don't need and don't be afraid to ask the FAs for assistance with putting your bag somewhere.

As always, don't get off the plane until your chair is waiting for you at the gate. Do not budge on this under any circumstances.

As long as you know what you need and aren't afraid to speak up when necessary, you should be fine. Happy travels!

Thanks, vliegle! I mostly fly Star Alliance (AC, SQ, and, most recently, LH). I also usually fly with my husband. Years ago (as in, more than a decade ago), I flew AA 3 or 4 times a week for work. I was actually Aadvantage Platinum, in my day, and knew my way around. :rolleyes:

As I started to fly internationally more and more, AA just dropped off my radar screen. Then, when I met the man who would become my husband, AC became a part of my life, as did the Star Alliance.

Anyway, I just don't know much about AA anymore. It's good advice, not getting off the plane w/o my chair (well, truth be told, I can't, so there's that, and I won't get off on any chair but my own, darnit! :p). Gate-checking the chair always makes me nervous. Will I see it again? Do they care?