Abuse of Wheelchairs for US Arrivals
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Europe
Programs: UA:1K MM, AF:FB-Platinum; QR: PC Platinum, FI: Saga Gold
Posts: 2,925
Abuse of Wheelchairs for US Arrivals
I am noticing a seemingly large increase in wheelchairs awaiting people in the US. I recently observed a flight from Zurich to JFK with at least twice the number of wheel chairs on arrival than departure. I know US immigration is a pain, but is this the answer ?
Or was my experience on that particular day a one-off ???
Or was my experience on that particular day a one-off ???
#2
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,001
Since LX doesn't allow the MAAS service anymore, I suppose people book WCHR so the elderly get taken care of.
More here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...s-seniors.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...-lx-lingo.html
More here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...s-seniors.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...-lx-lingo.html
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,691
Let's hope people aren't abusing this.
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Europe
Programs: UA:1K MM, AF:FB-Platinum; QR: PC Platinum, FI: Saga Gold
Posts: 2,925
Thanks for this info Oliver2002 - and you super quick response as always.
But my point was more that people did NOT use wheel-chairs on departure in ZUR but did on arrival in JFK. I have a funny feeling its just to get to the front of the immigrations line there ...
But my point was more that people did NOT use wheel-chairs on departure in ZUR but did on arrival in JFK. I have a funny feeling its just to get to the front of the immigrations line there ...
#5
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: KEL (1 Km) or HAM (85 Km)
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 1,129
In one of the US airports I arrived in the past 6 months, I had a somewhat heated discussion with DHS about wheelchairs, and their "rights" to skip the queue. There might be some truth in the OP.
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,691
It's a fairly obvious problem at a number of airports.
One of the ways to lessen this abuse may be to require family members to go through the normal lines so the time savings aspect is substantially downgraded, I.e., only one family member may accompany the WHCR user.
One of the ways to lessen this abuse may be to require family members to go through the normal lines so the time savings aspect is substantially downgraded, I.e., only one family member may accompany the WHCR user.
#7
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,001
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Europe
Programs: UA:1K MM, AF:FB-Platinum; QR: PC Platinum, FI: Saga Gold
Posts: 2,925
#9
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: SYD (perenially), GVA (not in a long time)
Programs: QF PS, EK-Gold, Security Theatre Critic
Posts: 6,704
This was just prior to a hip replacement and I had trouble walking longer distances or standing in lines for more than a few minutes. I was 30 years younger than the average hip replacement patient, looked (fairly) young and fit, and for short distances could walk quite briskly, so I'm sure I looked like I was cheating the system. But 10 minutes of standing or 150 metres walking and I was in agony.
At some airports (SYD, LAX), the wheelchair assistant took me to the gate area where I just got out of the wheelchair and waited with the other passengers while the wheelchair person went to help someone else. If you got to the gate after me, you would have seen me boarding on my own but having a wheelchair at the other end.
In DEN the young lady pushing the chair was so confused by the airport layout that when she (eventually!) got me to the AA lounge (which was very near my departure gate), I told her I would be okay from there. So you would have seen me going from the lounge to the gate on my own feet but getting collected by a wheelchair in LAX.
The other thing I learned from my experience is that many people who book airport wheelchairs are in that borderline situation of just needing the extra help. People who are absolutely reliant on a wheelchair have their own chair and are able to move themselves, they don't arrange an airport chair and an airport employee to push them.
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 16,971
Not sure that's entirely correct, at least in practice. I occasionally travel with a colleague who requires assistance after significant periods immobile: he usually requests this for arrival after long(ish) flights. Sometimes the request is made onboard.
#11
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,001
When you have a WCHR SSR in your booking you have to request special assist when you arrive at checkin. If you don't then they won't offer it. @:-)
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,103
I don't think we need to go there. There's been enough slurring on FT of people with disabilities with this exact same insinuation that to repeat the debate is redundant. While non-disabled people do undoubtedly abuse services of accessibility, you just don't know the reason "grandma" needed the wheelchair.
I am quite certain that from time to time people question my disability, and I don't need to get into any pissing contest with anybody about it.
People who need help sometimes do not need help other times, for example, when rushing to a plane after rushing from the car park, they need help; when disembarking after resting for two hours, and expecting to walk slowly once they get into the jet bridge and terminal, they don't need help.
It is less harmful to accommodate someone who does not really need the assistance than it is to disparage, slur, and stigmatize someone who really does need the assistance but somehow doesn't meet your non-professional standards of "how bad they are supposed to look".
I am quite certain that from time to time people question my disability, and I don't need to get into any pissing contest with anybody about it.
People who need help sometimes do not need help other times, for example, when rushing to a plane after rushing from the car park, they need help; when disembarking after resting for two hours, and expecting to walk slowly once they get into the jet bridge and terminal, they don't need help.
It is less harmful to accommodate someone who does not really need the assistance than it is to disparage, slur, and stigmatize someone who really does need the assistance but somehow doesn't meet your non-professional standards of "how bad they are supposed to look".
It's a fairly obvious problem at a number of airports.
One of the ways to lessen this abuse may be to require family members to go through the normal lines so the time savings aspect is substantially downgraded, I.e., only one family member may accompany the WHCR user.
One of the ways to lessen this abuse may be to require family members to go through the normal lines so the time savings aspect is substantially downgraded, I.e., only one family member may accompany the WHCR user.
#13
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: ZRH
Programs: LX HON Circle
Posts: 3,227
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9900; de) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.1033 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
After a 12h ride in coach one might need a wheelchair .
After a 12h ride in coach one might need a wheelchair .
#14
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Zurich
Programs: BA GGL, TK*G EL, KL P ELPL, ex AB P, ex LH/LX Sen, HHonors D4L, Bonvoy P
Posts: 1,643
I made the same observation, though not on LX but on AB. Upon boarding in Germany, there were the usual 2-3 wheelchair pax. Upon disembarkation at JFK I witnessed the Purser saying at the door "38 wheelchairs". And really, wheelchairs lined up all the way down the jetbridge ... and they all wheeled past us at immigration
Now I really feel somewhat betrayed. I'm not handicapped, but I faint easily when standing upright - I've had this since I was a teenager. But I so far never ordered a wheelchair (since I have no problem walking) - but fainted several times at US immigration ...
Now I really feel somewhat betrayed. I'm not handicapped, but I faint easily when standing upright - I've had this since I was a teenager. But I so far never ordered a wheelchair (since I have no problem walking) - but fainted several times at US immigration ...
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: London, UK.
Programs: SQ LPPS, A3 *G, BA Silver aiming for Bronze
Posts: 1,506
Unless you know the circumstances of the person in the chair don't condemn or even presume to judge.
I was the (totally innocent) victim of a big RTA five years ago and had major hip and pelvic surgery as a consequence and a year of physiotherapy just to learn to walk again. I can walk slowly over a distance of up to 1km but what I cannot do without it causing me major pain is stand still.
I never travel to the US but if I was faced with a guaranteed wait in immigration of the sort that is the norm there I would seriously consider asking for a wheelchair because the alternative would cause me serious pain which would then last me for up to a week.
Anyone who doesn't like that just hope you never suffer the same injuries as I have - in other words get over yourselves and stop worrying about your little first world problems you selfish self obsessed little people.
I was the (totally innocent) victim of a big RTA five years ago and had major hip and pelvic surgery as a consequence and a year of physiotherapy just to learn to walk again. I can walk slowly over a distance of up to 1km but what I cannot do without it causing me major pain is stand still.
I never travel to the US but if I was faced with a guaranteed wait in immigration of the sort that is the norm there I would seriously consider asking for a wheelchair because the alternative would cause me serious pain which would then last me for up to a week.
Anyone who doesn't like that just hope you never suffer the same injuries as I have - in other words get over yourselves and stop worrying about your little first world problems you selfish self obsessed little people.
Last edited by lhrpete; Apr 23, 2014 at 1:26 pm Reason: Spelling error