Connection at T5 in a wheelchair
Dec 24, 2018, 12:41 am
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
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Posts: 63,766
Merry Christmas USAflyer
I would love to say it will be fine - and I suspect on a quiet day (mid week in January) it would be fine - however from what I've seen a 90 minutes connection is too short. In some situations it would be a piece of cake, particularly if both flights operated via T5B, which is entirely possible. But intuitively I feel you want to go north of two hours, unfortunately. I guess there are two other factors here. If the wheelchair passenger has a companion who could just about manage without assistance and very light hand baggage then that will definitely help (you would get some priority at security); The other factor would be if for example there was a 90 minute connection and 4 hour connection option for the next potential flight - and it wouldn't be the end of the world if you ended up on the later service. In that case I think so long as the passengers are laid back about it, then going for the 90 minute connection isn't such a bad idea.
I appreciate I am semi-advocating lower performance standards for wheelchair passengers, which to say the least isn't a great look, but there is a long way we have to go for true equality for the less able bodied. Having said that I'm of the impression that in the last 3 months or so there has been some improvements for passengers with reduced mobility and I've even recently shared a flight with Frank Gardner where he was first off!
I would love to say it will be fine - and I suspect on a quiet day (mid week in January) it would be fine - however from what I've seen a 90 minutes connection is too short. In some situations it would be a piece of cake, particularly if both flights operated via T5B, which is entirely possible. But intuitively I feel you want to go north of two hours, unfortunately. I guess there are two other factors here. If the wheelchair passenger has a companion who could just about manage without assistance and very light hand baggage then that will definitely help (you would get some priority at security); The other factor would be if for example there was a 90 minute connection and 4 hour connection option for the next potential flight - and it wouldn't be the end of the world if you ended up on the later service. In that case I think so long as the passengers are laid back about it, then going for the 90 minute connection isn't such a bad idea.
I appreciate I am semi-advocating lower performance standards for wheelchair passengers, which to say the least isn't a great look, but there is a long way we have to go for true equality for the less able bodied. Having said that I'm of the impression that in the last 3 months or so there has been some improvements for passengers with reduced mobility and I've even recently shared a flight with Frank Gardner where he was first off!
Dec 24, 2018, 5:25 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Madrid
Programs: BA GfL
Posts: 157
USAflyer, I do a similar transfer fairly regularly with my Mum, who is in a wheelchair. Our routing is Aberdeen to Madrid, so UK Domestic to European, and vice versa. We've had quite a few of the Madrid flights leaving from T5B and T5C, so a little bit the same to what you will do. As CWS says, 90 minutes should be adequate, as long as everything goes OK. If you were lucky enough to have a T5B to T5B connection (or T5C to T5C) that would help a lot. However I always book connections with around 2 hours, just to be on the safe side. The BA crew typically ask you to wait until all other pax have disembarked, so it does add some time. (It's amazing just how long it seems to take to deplane an A320 or A321!). Of course if you are time-pressed, they would likely be allowed off first.
One thing to slightly speed things up would be to NOT ask for your own wheelchair to be 'returned to aircraft' door - i.e. book it through to final destination. Returning the wheelchair to the aircraft door can take some time - and the assistance people always have their own wheelchair. One other tip - if Omniserve (the assistance provider) are busy, they may ask once you are in the terminal 'if you want to take it from here' - assuming I will push my Mum. I always decline, as they will help you get to the front of any queues.
We can use the BA lounges, but, for the departing flight based on some past, poor experiences, I always take my Mum to the gate myself, and arrange to have assistance meet us at the gate. BA will typically not allow me to push her all the way to the aircraft door.
Good luck!
One thing to slightly speed things up would be to NOT ask for your own wheelchair to be 'returned to aircraft' door - i.e. book it through to final destination. Returning the wheelchair to the aircraft door can take some time - and the assistance people always have their own wheelchair. One other tip - if Omniserve (the assistance provider) are busy, they may ask once you are in the terminal 'if you want to take it from here' - assuming I will push my Mum. I always decline, as they will help you get to the front of any queues.
We can use the BA lounges, but, for the departing flight based on some past, poor experiences, I always take my Mum to the gate myself, and arrange to have assistance meet us at the gate. BA will typically not allow me to push her all the way to the aircraft door.
Good luck!
Dec 24, 2018, 6:35 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2014
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 263
Further to what Lost-in-Space has said my experience with travelling with my Grandmother is that if you can self push there can certainly be some speed advantages in getting around the terminal, it also get around some of the awkwardness when you invariably want to detour from the 'route'. For security I've always found the staff at the security point will spot the wheelchair and usher you forward. I never had an issue pushing all the way to the door though.