Originally Posted by MP Premier

I've traveled with my 24 year old handicapped daughter, wheelchair bound, by air and land for 20 years. We plan out everything in advance, utilizing airport and aircraft accommodations when necessary, and appreciate the help that is offered and given by most all air and ground crews. For the most part, we board in the pre-board group, and having had some decent status, had good seats, or used the airline's handicapped seating when available.

We use a manual wheelchair which comes apart, can be broken down, and then gate checked. I personally carry my daughter (70-85 pounds) into the aircraft and seat, usually because its just much easier because I know how and where to carry her. Because she sometimes is hooked up to IV and feeding tubes, we also have to deal with her two pumps and bags. That is why my wife and I are a team when we fly, and if my two sons are with us, they help with all the other gear (2 carryons, daughter's personal and medical backpacks, and then their own gear).

We talk to and explain to all crew that we know what we are doing, have done it before, and can efficiently get seated in a reasonable period of time. Most aircrews (UA is what I usually fly, but also Alaska and Air Canada) appreciate this, and offer us help if we need it, and it frees them up to do their other tasks or assist other passengers. We appreciate the space, the time, and the compassion of the crew, and other passengers as we pre-board. It takes a bit of work to get my daughter into her seat, buckled properly, and her medical gear correctly positioned out of the way. We try to get most of it done in the 5 or so minutes pre-boarding gives us before the first boarding calls are done. If that happens before we're finished, we work around boarding passengers as best we can, trying not to be any impediment to their own needs.

Now, it sure helps that my daughter is a cute kid, generally well mannered with a beaming smile, and although she doesn't speak well, she makes good eye contact. I also and regularly bring some pastries and other goodies (chocolates usually) for the flight crew (even when flying alone) to show my appreciation of their hard work each and every flight. You know, a bit of kindness, like karma, goes around and comes around.

When we deplane, unless there is a known and real tight connection, we wait till everyone else is off the plane. It is a courtesy to all the other passengers, and it is much easier for us. Certainly by that time, our wheelchair has been delivered to the jetway or ramp, and I can take my time putting it back together and ready for use. Then my wife and I gather my daughter and her gear up, and we carry her to her chair. Once settled, we then go back to retrieve our stuff and fully deplane. In smaller airports, I will carry my daughter out of the regional jet, down the ramp, to the tarmac if that's what it takes. If given notice, the gate crew always escorts us if there is no jetway and another accessible entry or elevator is needed from tarmac to gate.

For us, carts in the airports and aisle chairs are more difficult for my daughter due to her cerebral palsy and poor motor control to sit. They are welcome for others who need the assistance, like my 78 y/o mother.

IMO, the vast majority of family who fly with their disabled dependents pretty much know how to manage them best, and keep them calm, comfortable, and avoid accidents and complications. If the airline policy is to allow family to board with disabled and their direct caregiver family, then that is what it is, an accommodation and a privilege given. Sure there can be abuses, but it is a relatively rare occurrence, IME.

When you see someone with an "obvious" handicap, like a lost limb, frailty, personal wheelchair, etc. it is (mostly) easy to be courteous and allow them the accommodation they get. For others, their handicap is not always visible, yet it exists nonetheless. If they have identified themselves to the airline and airport as needing handicap accommodations, please understand they felt there was a need, and some of us actually carry the medical flight papers from our doctors (just in case) to prove it.

The fact that our population is rapidly aging should give pause to us FF that are also aging. Many of us flew a lot in the 90's and 2000's, and want to keep on flying, even though its a bit more physically demanding. Please don't decide that somehow you are the one who should decide who can fly and who can't. You may end up being someone with an acquired handicap someday, and need just that bit more time or help to enjoy flying again. That someone may also be you, with family who wish to help and be with you too.

A bit of compassion and outward karma can go a long way.

Originally Posted by yvr76

Got to boarding about 2 minutes after it started. They were already on zone 3 and everyone was using the zone 1/2 line. Asked the pax in front if he was zone 1 he said zone 3, but that nobody was paying attention to the lines. In fact the agent checking BPs was letting zone 3 queue up in the priority line before they got to the podium.

Queued up and told the GA that they need to enforce the zone lines at least otherwise it completely negates priority boarding. Didn't even apologize, was annoyed that I wasn't there earlier for my doc check and off I went.

Is LAS an AC or 3rd party station? Had the similar, but worse experience in SJU last month. Not much you can do when the ground staff just don't care, and I don't want to be put in a position of seeming like an entitled jerk every time I board. These are actually advertised entitlements.

Originally Posted by pych

AC7385 back to YYZ from BOS. Besides the horrible little area AC passengers are confined to I was impressed. Zone boarding followed to the T with both automatic and manual announcements. Great GA's and staff in general!

Originally Posted by canopus27

It wasn't perfect; the woman in line in front of me very clearly had a "Zone 2" BP, and yet they let her board in the middle of zone 1 with nary a word ... but we'll take it one step at a time, at least the announcements were correct, and the staff were all good.

Originally Posted by SparseFlyer

It's funny that we have so much trouble with zoned boarding with all these panels and indications.


Meanwhile, ANA domestic flights don't use zone/status lanes, because people don't board when it's not their turn

Originally Posted by SparseFlyer

Meanwhile, ANA domestic flights don't use zone/status lanes, because people don't board when it's not their turn

Originally Posted by superangrypenguin

I think this is a cultural thing...without over generalizing, and I hope I don't offend anybody on here, but I thought the Japanese were known for following rules, process, order. That would make sense as it's not like the rest of us (Americans, Canadians etc) have that reputation around the world....

Originally Posted by superangrypenguin

I think this is a cultural thing...without over generalizing, and I hope I don't offend anybody on here, but I thought the Japanese were known for following rules, process, order. That would make sense as it's not like the rest of us (Americans, Canadians etc) have that reputation around the world....

Originally Posted by SparseFlyer

Well, what also helps is that the GA do not process passengers.

There is like a tourniquet style entrance (maybe like 2-4 per gates depending on size), and when you walk up to the gate, you scan your BP/Suica Card/Phone (depending on which is registered for the flight), and then it opens and beeps green if you are boarding at the right time, or flashes red with a loud noise if you are boarding at the wrong time (which is then followed by a walk of shame).

Originally Posted by SparseFlyer

I swear, the 777 boards in 15 minutes.

Originally Posted by yyznomad

If it flashes red, the door below you opens.