I had a brain injury 3 years ago which (among other issues) creates severe dangers standing and ambulating. I am still learning about this whole new world of poverty and rigid rules and absurdly complex hoops that people are thrown into, already suffering severely from the initial injury. I can speak to this exact issue of the wheelchairs because I’ve had to figure it out for myself.

I agree that people who are not disabled but “hack” the system by taking resources from actual people who need them is despicable and should be addressed. Due to my disability I’m forced to fill up my wallet with various cards that attest to my situation, but that isn’t a perfect test. Someone might twist their ankle badly coming into the airport and I’m fine with them getting my a wheelchair even though their “health history” would be clear on paper.

My first flight after my injury I soon realized that standing in a long line without a wall to lean on was very dangerous, and you can imagine how impossible it is to stand up, take off your shoes, navigate all your bags and such and be searched at TSA as though you are able bodied. One trip and I had to learn about the wheelchair option. Flights since then have had me shepherded through that awful system and other than a couple dense TSA agents the experience went swimmingly, and the long times walk to the gate was eliminated. Tipping was another issue for someone suddenly living in poverty but I was generous.

On the trip FROM the gate, the first time I was surprised to see a wheelchair again, hadn’t registered that it was “round trip.” Since getting TO the gate is the overwhelming issue and I prefer to walk slowly with my cane at my own pace whenever possible (especially after a long flight), I didn’t want or need or want to spend on a wheelchair at that point. Fatigue and the chaos of the airport are a lot to deal with. I passed on most return chairs.

But the thing is- if I order a wheelchair I have NO WAY of just getting one just to get through TSA and to the plane. The Airlines and Airports need to fix this, THEY are wasting resources.

Now again, if people overact crippled on the way to the gate and are doing a running jig to the baggage when they land, F them and deal with that. But the travel experience sucks nowadays with the TSA process especially ridiculous for people with severe mobility and other issues. There’s no reason why they can’t offer more granular ordering of wheelchairs and maybe even work withTSA to make accommodations for those of us who tend to fall on the floor frequently when just trying to stand. It’s an issue with a lot of angles but I’m grateful it’s now being discussed.