mgmsteven

Please forgive me if this is posted in the wrong forum. Soon my wife and I will be traveling internationally with my sister. She is 75 years old and has some mobility issues. She is overweight, has severe arthritis and has problems with her feet and uses a cane. She can walk but not far and not fast. We will begin our trip in BHM. This is a small airport with a short distance between curb and gate. This should be no problem for her by allowing enough time. However, we connect in IAH and EWR with a final destination of TLV. The distances in IAH and EWR will be a problem for her. I have seen elderly people riding electric carts to make connections in airports. My question is how do you obtain the service of these carts? Also does anyone know how far the distance is from the arrival gate in TLV to the outside curb? Will the TLV airport have something like the carts? Would I be better off to request a wheel chair in TLV? Is this even possible. I am hesitant to request a wheel chair because of the comments I have seen on FT concerning people who can walk using wheel chairs. My sister has always wanted to go to Israel and I want this trip to be special to her. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

CDTraveler

1. Call the airline, ask for the disability/special needs desk and ask for assistance with transfers for a person with limited mobility. There's a sticky at the top of this forum with some info on the codes the airlines use to describe the differing levels of need.

2. Ignore those self-appointed judges of disability rights

3. Have a fabulous trip!

fwoomp

Don't be.

First of all, what I've observed about these complaints are that they're about people who use wheelchairs to get to the head of the security line/early boarding, etc., but at some point during the flight, they are magically HEEEEEALED, and at the end, rise from their seats, toss their 50 pound carry-ons in the air, catch them one-handed, and then go skipping down the aisle and through the airport.

I do not think anyone would begrudge an older person who needs a cane to get around use of a wheelchair. I've been in your sister's position (as a younger person) and had to overcome the discomfort of asking for things to get my needs met. As someone who's had that experience, I also invite anyone who deems someone else "not disabled enough" for xxxx to perform an anatomical impossibility.

DeafFlyer

Go ahead and request the wheelchair. If he/she needs it, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

jvmurph

I have a temporary disability and look perfectly healthy. My problem is I can't walk long distances nor can I stand for a length of time. On a couple of recent air travel trips, I took my walker with me. I was treated with a great deal of respect by airport personnel, the TSA and airline employees. I'm sure there
were passengers waiting in long security lines who questioned why I was whisked through the lines with my family members. There are many physically challenged people out there. Some who look it. Some who don't. Request the wheelchair.

caday357

This is also a huge sticky problem for me, as I have MS, look perfectly normal, and am somewhat strong, but have no endurance. I cannot walk long distances. However, once at the gate, I can walk a small amount to the restroom, get a coffee, etc.

Recently, we came back through LAX on Cathay Pacific, transferring to USair. I didn't get a wheelchair, and so regretted it!!!!! Our line to get our passport stamped moved at a snails pace, and when we finally got through, we asked about a wheelchair or electric cart to get to our terminal. We were told that if I could do it, it would be just a 7-8 minute walk to terminal one, and much quicker.

It was about a half mile to the terminal. We missed our connection, had to fly standby next day. Once home, I was in bed with a minor relapse for a while, in a lot of pain, worrying whether I would lose more vision this time.

I wish it was easier just to get an electric cart, that is all I need, but I have found a lot of difficulty getting one. Most flight attendants tell me to get a wheelchair, and to let the airline know right up front when making reservations. So I will from now on, and ignore the dirty looks when I get up to walk around the gate area.

I hate, hate, hate my hidden disability, but realize I cannot travel with the uncertainty of having to overdo and get a relapse.

Sorry for the long post, this one just struck home for me.

ps - I have noticed as we have more of an aging, baby boomer population, that there are more and more wheelchairs being used. I would have no problem paying extra for a wheelchair, and maybe that would keep people who really don't need one from using one

JamesS

Better to have it and doubt you needed it, than discover too late that you need it but can't have one! (My brother normally uses crutches; flying KLM/AF to Prague a few years ago, in Schiphol he was left stranded at the arrival gate, being told "wait there, I'll get a cart" with the result he missed the connection.)

Having had intermittent back problems lately (muscle spasm, some vertebrae twisted out of alignment it seems) I sympathize with the variable nature: I spent part of this morning lifting eight foot by two foot boards into the attic, no problem ... then had to take painkillers to cope with standing up to make a sandwich this evening. (Bending over to put bread in the oven triggered it, I think. Bah.)

geminidreams

Im not what I consider disabled however Im overweight and my knees can be a problem, often aching and sometimes providing difficulty locking especially going up and down stairs.

I dont want or need help through security but get really annoyed when I get to the gate to find I have to transverse flights of steps to board the aircraft with a heavy computer bag and another bag. You usually only discover this once you go through the door leaving the terminal and have the choice of just going for it or fight your way back through the oncoming trafffic to gate attendants who are all busy boarding people rather than help you. If you wait then no spare overhead locker space. Why cant they provide advance notification when this is the case so you can do something about asking for assistance?

skylady

Absolutely request assistance on every leg, and please inform the inflight crew on how better to assist.

notmensa

Not sure if ads are appropriate here, but Engineers Australia's National Committee on Rehabilitation Engineering is hosting a symposium about transport for people with disabilities (including air transport) in Townsville, Australia, on April 23.

http://www.engineersaustralia.org.au...port-symposium

All welcome!!

Katja

I don't consider an announcement of a symposium an ad, so thanks for the information.

mgmsteven

I am the OP on this thread. Thanks to all for the suggestions and encouragement! A wheelchair or cart was waiting at each connection. All except one of the attendants were kind and helpful. At TLV the attendant took us through immigrations, customs, picked up our bags and took my sister to the taxi. No one seemed to expect a tip though we did according to the length and complexity of the service provided. The only exception to the cheerful service was the return from TLV. After passing through immigration a lady with a United uniform picked us up in a cart. She was rude until she looked at our boarding passes and saw that my wife and I were 1K. Her attitude then changed for the better.

Katja

So glad to hear you had a good trip, and thanks for coming back to tell us about it!