So I took my first trip requesting wheelchair aid yesterday and today. Some experiences good and the bad (a bit long) -
first flight EUG-SEA - checking in the contract agent acknowledged my request, finished my check-in and then came around to push me to the gate. Which left only 1 agent to check-in the flight.
arrival at SEA the wheelchair was on the jet way waiting. Was prepared to take me to the gate but with a 3 hour CX I went to the SC instead.
SEA-DTW - Scheduled departure was from A2 so I figured I'd walk from SC to flight. About 90 minutes before boarding I noticed that the gate had changed to A5 so asked the SC agent to arrange for a wheelchair transport. Waited and waited and eventually the SC agent pushed me to the gate where boarding was just beginning. Arrived at DTW A8 at 445 am (25 minutes early) and there were no wheel chairs waiting for the 5 requests. Turns out the wheel chair transport service doesn't begin until 5 am. The pilots went up the jetbridge brought wheelchairs down and got all 5 of us into the terminal 2 at a time - kudos to them for this (and I'll send in the compliment). Other 4 folks were traveling with someone who pushed them. For me, the gate agent pushed my to the south sky club area and I hung around until it opened at 6 am. Wasn't worth the trek to the center SC and wait for a transfer back to A21.
DTW-DCA - Scheduled for 730 am, delayed 30 minutes from A21. Hung out in south SC from about 6 am to 730 and then got myself to A21 - short trip with the moving walkway.
DCA met by wheelchair in the jetbridge and taken to bag claim then all the way to the cab stand. Excellent service.
Some real great outcomes - EUG and DCA, some that worked out okay, but definitely flaws in the system. Hope this is temporary for me. (Sorry if this is too long, but thought it worth noting, I think.)

Thanks for sharing, btw, how much do people typlically tip the wheelchair operator in the U.S.?

Depends. Length/rush is big factor. Anywhere from couple dollars to $10-$15 I've seen.

Same. I recently had to use the Wheelchair request service between DCA and DTW. DCA departure and arrival was outstandingly excellent. I tipped the Ticket Agent and the person that pushed the wheelchair. DCA radio'd in the request and was at curbside checkin very quickly. The TSA people did a good job too.

DTW arrival was good. The Attendant with wheelchair was ready on the ramp and pushed through to baggage claim.

DTW departure on the other hand is a different story. The wheelchair service is only available at Gate 5. Would've been nice to know that prior to being dropped off at Gate 1!!! There was no Attendant to push thru the airport. The Attendant that pushed down the ramp...was questionable. At DCA, went down the ramp backwards as not to fall out. At DTW, went down the ramp forwards.

I'm guessing the wheelchair service depends on the airport?!?!?!?!

In the USA, your airline is required to provide the wheelchair service free of charge. They can't say a certain gate doesn't have the service available.
Link to government website:
https://www.transportation.gov/indiv...ded-assistance

Now, reality has shown me that MANY times airports are understaffed and don't have enough people to push the wheelchairs, but that's a different story.

If you were not provided with the service required by US law, the link above includes the form to file a complaint. Here's that language (from the same page above) and the link directly to the complain form:
https://www.transportation.gov/airco...umer-complaintIf you believe your rights under the Air Carrier Access Act are being or have been violated, ask to speak with a Complaints Resolution Official (CRO). A CRO is the airline�s expert on disability accommodation issues. Airlines are required to make one available to you, at no cost, in person at the airport or by telephone during the times they are operating.
I hate to complain, and I hate that I require assistance these days, but difficult economies don't permit companies to break the law, and I feel like I'm better placed to complain (and nudge the airlines) than other passengers with fewer resources and less free time, so I always speak up on this issue.

I think OP means door, not gate. (Theyre talking about being dropped off at airport) The agents are located there. However if you ask any employee or call airport on phone (they'll contact the airlines wheelchair agent) they will get a wheelchair to you wherever you are (including in parking garage)

willoL - thanks for posting this information. I hope this is a temporary thing for me but now have a much greater understanding of the issues that folks face.
As I wrote - my experience was generally good - and even at DTW where the early arrival created problems as I was waiting for the SC to open after 5 am I did see people being taken are of.
BTW - I 'tipped' the folks $5 each, except for the SC agent is SEA and I gave her a JWD cert - from her response, that was really appreciated. Didn't give anything to the pilots at DTW except thanks and wrote to Delta to commend them.

Even worse, try to fly with your own electric wheelchair. It can take forever to bring it up. I�ve waited as long as an hour on the plane.

Back when I was using airport manual wheelchairs, I had some real dicey pushers. The worst being a guy at CDG. I was going on a flat travelator to the luggage area. The guy was in a hurry, and I think he was trying to impress the cute travel assistant lady who was helping me. He was pushing me, and was running pretty fast on the travelator. Of course, he hits the end of it, with a sizable bump/threshold and launches me out of the chair.

The best was a guy at PHX who was an ASU football player. Nice guy, and we were getting close to boarding time, so he was hustling. Got a $20 tip.

They're not supposed to put wheelchair on the moving sidewalk. I've seen it happen a few times and had it done once myself. Luckily i wasn't tossed out, they did it because of the incline at the airport. (JNB has a fairly steep incline in arrival immigration corridor)

I thought that by this time all these issues with wheelchairs would be resolved. I had to request one due to a fractured in 2021 and there was shortage of wheelchair pushers. Luckily I was traveling with my husband so he ended up pushing me.
I was at DTW this past weekend and noticed a pilot pushing the wheelchair for a person. I guess it is a normal occurrence at this airport.

This is a very useful Forum on Flyertalk. https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/disability-travel-224/

My husband uses a wheelchair (pink-tagged at the gate), and the tip depends on the service. Back when he used a manual chair, the trip from ticket counter to gate was worth five bucks. Gate to plane was a couple of bucks, with extra if they didn't f--- up the transfer from straightback to seat on plane. Trip from plane to baggage claim was five, again with extra for not scraping his butt on the transfer. One time a pusher took us to the parking deck and made sure we were properly in our car. That was fifteen-dollar service!

Now that he uses a power chair, things are more straightforward. He can propel himself to and from the gate, so we really don't need a lot of extra services. The tip is mostly based on the transfers to/from the straightback. Do it well and you are rewarded. Make things uncomfortable or embarrassing, then not so much.

Thought I'd update with the eventual outcome of my message to DL about the wheelchair situation with a pre-5 am arrival at DTW a month ago. Exactly 1 month to respond - June 10 complaint sent, July 10 got the response.
DL acknowledged the complaint and indicated that it was forwarded to the contractor who had not responded. DL also provided contact info to file a complaint with DOT and contact information for both DOT and DL's Disability Assistance line.
Finally, I got a $150 Delta choice gift card.
I'm satisfied with the outcome - especially the fact that the pilots got everyone off the plane.

I have a heavy duty electric wheelchair, that is pretty wide. I often fly WN for short hops, and find their wheelchair boarding pretty good. Now my wheelchair is very wide, and in Phoenix they�ve tried to force it through the airside door, which it is too wide to go through. takes 40 minutes almost every time.