You are absolutely right! What have I been thinking? I thought standing up for my rights meant I insisted on keeping the wheelchair. I guess I am always afraid if I make a GA unhappy something unfortunate will happen to me. I am always on guard in an airport and a plane because sometimes the smallest complaint can trigger all kinds of outrageous behavior from GAs and FAs.
Do you remember the little kid that was just learning to talk and kept saying "Plane go bye bye" and they kicked Mom and little boy off of the plane? Or the lady on Southwest whose clothing made someone uncomfortable and they tried to make her get off. Finally she agreed to wear a blanket? I guess I just am very aware that they have all the authority and I have very little.We do not even have the protection of the ADA on the plane. If the pilot decides that my disability or my personality is a danger he can remove me.
I am generally pretty out-spoken, and before we get to the airport my husband always reminds me that we are entering the zone of what he calls "No Complaint". He really means he does not want me to rock any existing boats. So when the lady at baggage check-in asks to take my wheelchair I always feel a little nervous about saying "no". From my husband's perspective having someone push the airport's wheelchair is much easier for him so he is not motivated to play "do-it-yourself". We did ask for someone to push my wheelchair once so we could do a gate check. They told me that it was not legal for them to push equipment they did not own. Really about 98% of the time I have no problem, and I really will not move from the chair regardless of how much the pusher complains. In many cases, however, I would feel more confident if I had my own chair with me.
I am certainly going to re-think this entire issue about gate-checking my own wheelchair. There are times, however, when I do not take it. I keep a wheelchair at the home of each of my children, and they bring it to the airport when they come to pick us up. When we stay in big cities I rent an electric cart, so I have to get to the hotel on my own. So there are many times when I travel and depend upon using a wheelchair when I reach my destination.
I can walk. I can even climb stairs. I just cannot walk much more than one block, and I am sooo slow! I could manage to get myself down the jetway, but if I do not pre-board it takes me a long time to get down the jetway and people behind me are all upset. It takes me more time to get myself into a seat and my carry-ons put away, and I hold up the boarding process. The wheelchair is a guarantee that I will always pre-board. It is also somewhat of a guarantee that I will not trigger an attack on my way down the jetway and then have a miserable flight.
You are right however. I worked very hard to get that legislation passed. Not for myself at the time, but for a seriously disabled child. As my daughters would say it is probably time for me to put my big boots on and insist on a bit more freedom. If people had not done that for us we would all still be circling Wal-Mart hoping for a parking space. I just really do not want to be on the evening news.lol