Below Knee Amputee Airline Travel Questions
Dec 27, 2011, 7:57 am
#16
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ADL
Programs: QFF, HH
Posts: 83
Lots of comments about not worrying about other people, but my two cents worth is that when my leg is "playing up" badly enough for me to want it off on a flight, this is usually the same time that I'm more attuned to others reactions and I guess more self-conscious ... Bit if a catch 22 really!
I travelled for over 30 years as a BKA (now AKA) and if I know i am going to have trouble I will generally leave it off and go with the crutches, as suggested earlier ... I find this works best as I get assistance and it takes the whole issue away - taking my leg off on the flight (depending on how long the flight is) sometimes backfires because it doesn't take much swelling with it off to really have trouble getting it back on comfortably, then this becomes the rolling snowball as you'll usually land at the furthest possible gate and walk really badly to the car hire place looking to pick up the rental!!
On long flights I always wear loose yoga type pants, and will generally unlock my leg enough to slip it down without taking it right off, which makes it more comfortable but controls the swelling ... and I never take off my liner for that reason also. BC seats help as you can usually lift the leg rest for most of the flight, and I find this the best help for elevating my leg enough to take the drag off the end of my stump. If I do want to take it off I try and get the window seat far left so it's a little more unobtrusive to ate off my right leg and prop it away from my fellow passengers.
Hope this helps !
I travelled for over 30 years as a BKA (now AKA) and if I know i am going to have trouble I will generally leave it off and go with the crutches, as suggested earlier ... I find this works best as I get assistance and it takes the whole issue away - taking my leg off on the flight (depending on how long the flight is) sometimes backfires because it doesn't take much swelling with it off to really have trouble getting it back on comfortably, then this becomes the rolling snowball as you'll usually land at the furthest possible gate and walk really badly to the car hire place looking to pick up the rental!!
On long flights I always wear loose yoga type pants, and will generally unlock my leg enough to slip it down without taking it right off, which makes it more comfortable but controls the swelling ... and I never take off my liner for that reason also. BC seats help as you can usually lift the leg rest for most of the flight, and I find this the best help for elevating my leg enough to take the drag off the end of my stump. If I do want to take it off I try and get the window seat far left so it's a little more unobtrusive to ate off my right leg and prop it away from my fellow passengers.
Hope this helps !
Dec 29, 2011, 2:22 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Davis, California
Programs: MileagePlus Since Aug 2010, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 131
Lots of comments about not worrying about other people, but my two cents worth is that when my leg is "playing up" badly enough for me to want it off on a flight, this is usually the same time that I'm more attuned to others reactions and I guess more self-conscious ... Bit if a catch 22 really!
I travelled for over 30 years as a BKA (now AKA) and if I know i am going to have trouble I will generally leave it off and go with the crutches, as suggested earlier ... I find this works best as I get assistance and it takes the whole issue away - taking my leg off on the flight (depending on how long the flight is) sometimes backfires because it doesn't take much swelling with it off to really have trouble getting it back on comfortably, then this becomes the rolling snowball as you'll usually land at the furthest possible gate and walk really badly to the car hire place looking to pick up the rental!!
On long flights I always wear loose yoga type pants, and will generally unlock my leg enough to slip it down without taking it right off, which makes it more comfortable but controls the swelling ... and I never take off my liner for that reason also. BC seats help as you can usually lift the leg rest for most of the flight, and I find this the best help for elevating my leg enough to take the drag off the end of my stump. If I do want to take it off I try and get the window seat far left so it's a little more unobtrusive to ate off my right leg and prop it away from my fellow passengers.
Hope this helps !
I travelled for over 30 years as a BKA (now AKA) and if I know i am going to have trouble I will generally leave it off and go with the crutches, as suggested earlier ... I find this works best as I get assistance and it takes the whole issue away - taking my leg off on the flight (depending on how long the flight is) sometimes backfires because it doesn't take much swelling with it off to really have trouble getting it back on comfortably, then this becomes the rolling snowball as you'll usually land at the furthest possible gate and walk really badly to the car hire place looking to pick up the rental!!
On long flights I always wear loose yoga type pants, and will generally unlock my leg enough to slip it down without taking it right off, which makes it more comfortable but controls the swelling ... and I never take off my liner for that reason also. BC seats help as you can usually lift the leg rest for most of the flight, and I find this the best help for elevating my leg enough to take the drag off the end of my stump. If I do want to take it off I try and get the window seat far left so it's a little more unobtrusive to ate off my right leg and prop it away from my fellow passengers.
Hope this helps !
I did take a flight from SFO/LHR and requested assistance a few years ago. Didn't like being left on a 747 until the very last, put in a beverage type elevator truck, drove about the airport. Felt like a sheep on the way to slaughter. It was not a good experience, so I've been hard headed and roughing it on my own using a cane for stability at times when I've walked too much. I won't give up traveling though! I've worked too hard to keep my mobility going over the years!
Feb 1, 2018, 12:20 pm
#18
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 2
I am a double above knee amputee and above right arm amputee
hi,
i understand completely where you are coming from. I am currently having issues because with the make of both my prosthesis I am struggling to sit comfortably in economy seating on long haul flights and with exceptionally long above knee limbs(that of a person over 6.2 while proportionately only being 5.7) and the wideness and restrictiveness of both sockets reaching up to my hip and groin. Although somewhat squished and uncomfortable(although I feel for my seat neighbour and those in front of me who can’t recline their seat) is fine for a few hours but when you travel from Europe to New Zealand (my most frequent destination) not so much. I am struggling to find an airline that will accommodate my needs. The solution you would think would be to remove my limbs entirely for the flight however this is approximately 2x 12hour flights in most instances and I was told by several airlines that if i remove my limbs and take my wheelchair that they will only fly my wheelchair as gratis and not my prosthesis as well as them not having an aisle chair on board during the flight so unless I were to literally crawl on the floor to the bathroom I would be unable to use the bathroom.
on flights that do have aisle chairs and will take all my equipment gratis the issue arises as to where to store my artificial legs once I remove them once I have boarded the plane use in part to weight and material of limbs the overhead lockers are not exactly ideal.
so my question is has anyone been in a similar situation and what was the best solution that didn’t amount to flying business class as several airlines have suggested. A further question is do you know if an airline crew can refuse to fly you because they do not want to assist you during the flight with use of the aisle chair and storing your prosthetisis?
any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
i understand completely where you are coming from. I am currently having issues because with the make of both my prosthesis I am struggling to sit comfortably in economy seating on long haul flights and with exceptionally long above knee limbs(that of a person over 6.2 while proportionately only being 5.7) and the wideness and restrictiveness of both sockets reaching up to my hip and groin. Although somewhat squished and uncomfortable(although I feel for my seat neighbour and those in front of me who can’t recline their seat) is fine for a few hours but when you travel from Europe to New Zealand (my most frequent destination) not so much. I am struggling to find an airline that will accommodate my needs. The solution you would think would be to remove my limbs entirely for the flight however this is approximately 2x 12hour flights in most instances and I was told by several airlines that if i remove my limbs and take my wheelchair that they will only fly my wheelchair as gratis and not my prosthesis as well as them not having an aisle chair on board during the flight so unless I were to literally crawl on the floor to the bathroom I would be unable to use the bathroom.
on flights that do have aisle chairs and will take all my equipment gratis the issue arises as to where to store my artificial legs once I remove them once I have boarded the plane use in part to weight and material of limbs the overhead lockers are not exactly ideal.
so my question is has anyone been in a similar situation and what was the best solution that didn’t amount to flying business class as several airlines have suggested. A further question is do you know if an airline crew can refuse to fly you because they do not want to assist you during the flight with use of the aisle chair and storing your prosthetisis?
any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Feb 1, 2018, 1:09 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: DEN
Posts: 1,962
Welcome to FlyerTalk, Sarah Jane!
What airlines/destinations are these? US based airlines should not be refusing to take wheelchairs and prostheses, and every aircraft with more than 60 seats should have an on board wheelchair.
What airlines/destinations are these? US based airlines should not be refusing to take wheelchairs and prostheses, and every aircraft with more than 60 seats should have an on board wheelchair.
Feb 1, 2018, 1:35 pm
#20
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 2
Hi flying through Asia is the most direct route for my Travel. The airlines are willing to carry my wheelchair free of charge but not both my wheelchair and prosthesis. the issue is with the spare parts to my prosthesis. Thai airways has stated that this will not be carried free of charge and must be included in my weight allowance (considering in total they weigh close to 10kg that’s a lot of my luggage) and they do not have an onboard aisle chair. there solution is that I pay to fly business class (which frankly I do not have the luxury of being able to afford this) where I can have extra baggage allowance to compensate for the weight of my limb parts, I would have more room and privacy to take my legs on and off when needed.
singapore airlines has the aisle chair but not the seat space for me to put my legs on and off easily or discreetly without disrupting others and they have not found a storage solution for my prosthesis while in flight.
singapore airlines has the aisle chair but not the seat space for me to put my legs on and off easily or discreetly without disrupting others and they have not found a storage solution for my prosthesis while in flight.
Apr 4, 2018, 3:43 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 1
Great advice! Your insight as a non-amputee is very helpful! I use a cane so I think I'll keep it out instead of putting it away so that can be my intro to say something before takeoff. This honestly didn't occur to me until you suggested it! Thank you!
I like your style using humor, thank you for your comments - humor helps as long as they speak English. I sat next to a Japanese lady flying to Japan recently. She didn't speak a word of English and I don't speak Japanese! So that was AWKWARD so I didn't say anything. I've also noticed many frequent flyers tend to be very icy when they board as they certainly don't want to get stuck next to a leisure traveler (me!) that wants to chat it up during the whole flight. So as soon as I see they don't want to make eye contact and don't say a word, I usually keep to myself. I think the key is say something at boarding because once the flights en route, there just doesn't seem to be a good time to discuss removable body parts
I like your style using humor, thank you for your comments - humor helps as long as they speak English. I sat next to a Japanese lady flying to Japan recently. She didn't speak a word of English and I don't speak Japanese! So that was AWKWARD so I didn't say anything. I've also noticed many frequent flyers tend to be very icy when they board as they certainly don't want to get stuck next to a leisure traveler (me!) that wants to chat it up during the whole flight. So as soon as I see they don't want to make eye contact and don't say a word, I usually keep to myself. I think the key is say something at boarding because once the flights en route, there just doesn't seem to be a good time to discuss removable body parts
Jul 8, 2019, 2:59 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 1
Below Knee Amputee Airline Travel Questions
I used to be overly concerned about being a bk amputee. I realized that it is not a big deal. I now wear shorts whenever I travel and have no problems popping my leg off in public. Life is just to short to worry about what others think.