Query ref: Disability Assistance
 

I'm in a bit of a weird situation. I'm booked on BA metal to fly LHR-LAX in Y on 27th September, but barring a miracle I am expecting this flight to be cancelled because of the BA pilot strikes, and hopefully will know by this Friday coming (13th Sept). I am fully expecting the nearest available flight for them to book me on to be AA109 LHR-LAX on the 27th which is down as a 77W.

I suffer with ME/CFS and as a result I have to book assistance. I currently travel with my partner who is technically my safety assistant. Normally I just phone BA after I book, explain my condition and they sit us together no questions asked near the lavatories, as close to the exit doors as possible so I don't have to walk very far, plus I can't climb over . I also get to preboard in order to give me extra time to get to my seat from the gate.

I've been doing research into the flights that BA might move us to because of the strike and their special assistance policies, and am wondering will AA be able to arrange seats for us to sit together like BA do that will cover all of my needs? A check on ExpertFlyer indicates that this flight is looking very full already with all non-MCE seats taken bar the odd single middle seat. Obviously these would be unsuitable as I wouldn't be able to sit next to my safety assistant. The only seats that I can see that would be suitable are 33D/E but these seem to be MCE and I can't tell from ExpertFlyer if these are Bulkhead or Exit Row (naturally I am ineligible for Exit Row). Would AA allow disabled pax to sit in MCE seats without paying?

Also, my safety assistant has a nut allergy and I couldn't find out how I would be able to order a peanut free meal for her, given that BA don't offer that service?

Any help would be appreciated!

(I did post this yesterday in the Disabled thread, but tumbleweed...)

AA will definitely help with seating requests for disabled passengers and their companion. You can achieve this by calling AA reservation or by direct messaging them via Twitter.

As to a “nut free” meal, they dont have such an option and even warn against trace elements of nuts in their meals. Id say bring your own food to be on the safe side.

AA holds a number of seats out from selection so that they can be assigned to disabled passengers who require them. There is no guarantee that they will be MCE seats. The arrangement of that aircraft would allow for your companion to be seated next to you, across an aisle or immediately in front of or behind you. The more flexible you can be in this regard, the better the seats.

If you are seated in the rear of the aircraft and that presents difficulty in making it to the passenger exit, AA will provide an "aisle chair" (narrow wheelchair) to help you off the aircraft.

20A/C and 30A/C and J/L appear blocked, which is usually for situations like this. A call to AA explaining the situation should get you into those seats.

Please let us know what happens.

Good luck!

Thanks all, will keep you informed - assuming I get booked onto the plane, that will depend on the BA strikes.

If the strike on the 27th does go ahead (or at least if BA prepares for it) then you will have the choice of flights to be rebooked onto - It dosen't have to be the closest flight time to your existing booking - and assuming the same arrangements for rebooking apply for the 27th as for this week this could include other airlines and not just AA.

if you want to prepare I'd use something like google flights to research other options to get from LHR-LAX and that could include having a connection is say JFK - though I fully understand if you feel that your needs would rule that it's always good to explore options. So if the strike is confirmed you have a list of ready options to either select from those offered on the BA app / website or when speaking to an agent.

BA may also offer rebooking onto flights for the 26th and 28th for example as well so that gives you more options to conside.

Then you woud need to contact the special assistance team of the new airline to book whatever assistance you need - whether that be sitting together or needing a buggy / wheelchair at the airport.

There are some very good threads on the BA board about dealign with the strike re rebooking. I'd have a quick read of the wiki of this one for example which will no doubt be updated with the latest information shoul the 27th be confirmed. .

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...10-27-sep.html

Hiya, thanks for this. Sadly I'm REALLY limited on the flights I can take. This was a squeezed in trip to begin so don't have any work leave left to go the day before, and I have a connection on a completely different carrier that leaves LAX at 6pm EST so can't go the day after, hence my focus on this particular flight.

If you do get endorsed over to AA, that would be the time to contact AA Special Assistance.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-ser...assistance.jsp

If you only have a limited time frame all the more reasons to look at other carriers that BA could possibly move you too even if it means arriving earlier that day.

you cannot be 100% certain BA will be able to get you onto the AA flight so still best to be prepared re other carriers should it come to that and be prepared to act when you get the email / app alert.

Hi all,

Thanks for all your help on this. I ended up being rebooked the day before on BA metal as the flight I was aiming for was already full.