onebigworld

I'm flying on Delta 80 to Greensboro, with a change in Atl. How far will the gates be as I'm in a foot brace? If it's too far, I'll need to arrange for a ride (how do I do that?).

Also, flying Business Elite. Original receipt said "Meal: breakfast," now my boarding pass says "Meal: refreshments." What does that mean? This is a long flight so I am surprised there is no meal. I'll be flying all day and with only an hour between planes thinking I will not have time to eat? I land and go straight to a (non-food) event.

emrdoc

1. You will get breakfast on Delta 80 LAX to ATL.

2. Delta 80 almost always lands at "E" terminal and the flights to Greensboro can leave from almost any terminal but most often "A". E to A could be a trek with a foot brace. You can request a wheelchair through special services.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...abilities.html

roknroll

You will likely have to walk far in ATL: from your gate, down to the inter-terminal train, and then to your new gate. I'm a little confused by your routing, can you be a little more specific? You say you're on DL 80 to Greensboro, but that flight is LAX-ATL or ATL-BRU. Did you mean that you are flying LAX-ATL-GSO? You'll have a full breakfast in LAX-ATL with standard domestic first service/amenities. Although it's labeled as BusinessElite, it's still a domestic flight so you'll get domestic service. The flight number is a continuation of an international flight, which is why it shows as business. Luckily it's on the 777, so if you are in first/business you will get the nice lie-flat business seats and IFE, but no in-flight wi-fi.

ATL-GSO will probably just be drinks and the snack basket since it's a short flight.

onebigworld

Roknroll, yes, I am flying LAX-ATL-GSO. Thanks for explaining why it said Business on the first flight and First on the second leg. I definitely picked this flight because of the flat seats for my ankle/foot.

emrdoc, thank you for that. I'll check with them regarding the wheelchair. I also see from your link if the plane has stairs, they'll arrange something. Not sure if my smaller plane ATL-GSO will have stairs. (DL2420)

indufan

No stairs on the MD-88.

MSPeconomist

DL80 business class breakfast is a choice of a hot egg thing or cold cereal, IIRC bran or something healthy sounding with yogurt. IIRC there's a small dish of fruit. FAs come around with a bread basket containing croissants and bagels.

On the domestic 777 flights you get a domestic thin red little blanket and small pillow at each seat.

Also on the 777, there's a huge handicapped lav in front of seat 11D. it might be easier for you to pick a seat with easy access to that lavatory. 7D would be ideal, IMO 11D second best, and then any C or D seat close to row 7 in the first cabin or close to rows 10/11 for the second BE cabin.

onebigworld

idufan, thank you, that is great news. Delta is going to have a wheelchair waiting in Atlanta. I've never been in one before and it's somewhat embarrassing as I can walk, just not far (and my condition is unpredictable). They said they couldn't guarantee an electric cart, so a wheelchair was safer.

MSP, thank you for the menu, that helps very much.

flyerCO

I'm on flight 80 tomorrow, for LAX-ATL it's my preferred flight since I can go to sleep and arrive rested in ATL. As for DL and wheelchairs, IMO DL almost always uses a wheelchair regardless of the airport or how far. A lot of airports don't have electric carts, or they can only operate certain locations. For ATL not all areas can be accessed without using the train and/or navigating small narrow passages.

The one piece of advice I'll offer is that while the wheelchair will meet you at the plane door, if you can, walk to the end of the jetway. Your back and the pushers back will thank you. Going up the jetway involves three bumps, which can be a heck of a bump on your back.

onebigworld

flyerCO, thank you. I can definitely walk up that much. If the two gates end up being close, I can do all of it w/o the wheelchair. I would rather do it w/o the wheelchair, actually. I just didn't want to get stuck if it ended up being very far and my foot decided to react to the flight.

onebigworld

My trip went pretty smoothly thanks to all of you. FlyerCO, that tip about getting in the wheelchair after the ramp was so helpful. Atlanta is so large and my flights were, as someone said, very far apart (involving a train), so I was grateful for the wheelchair.

My first stop in Atlanta, all the wheelchairs were outside the ramp in the waiting area. The man in charge was waiting for everyone to get off the plane to fill all the chairs before he would let us go. Ultimately, after waiting some 16-20 precious minutes on a tight connection, he asked an employee who happened to be passing by. That employee, who was very nice, told me the first man should have called for help.

But it went smoothly tonight in Atlanta, with two employees and two chairs waiting. I had a 3 hour layover, so he took me to a large Delta lounge and told me I could ask for a cart to take me to the gate. The young guy who checked me in could use some training. He told me my domestic first class ticket wouldn't get me in, so how did I want to pay. After some discussion where I find out Priority Pass won't work, finally he says that AE Plat will cover it. The training should go more like, "I'm sorry, I know this ticket is first class, but for the ticket alone to admit you, it has to be international first class. However there are other ways to waive the fee. Do you happen to have an AE Plat?"

He also got the booking time wrong for my cart, telling me he'll have it there at 6 (boarding was 5:30), and when I corrected him, then he wanted the cart to come at 5:30pm. I said 5:30 is when the plane boards - "Oh, you want to pre-board?" he asks. Why would you even ask that of someone who came in on a wheelchair?

The cart came about 10 min later than the scheduled time, so always have them book those earlier.

The Atl Delta lounge was great, especially the back room.

Greenboro airport has TSA-pre, btw.

And anyone interested in wheelchairs or carts, they were always very grateful for tips, so plan on that.