Mobility scooter for international trip
Jan 29, 2013, 9:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1
Mobility scooter for international trip
Hello there:
I am a new member of FlyerTalk and desperately need your assistance for the upcoming travel to London. My husband has a paralysis (CVA - Left side) and unable to walk very far. I need to know if anyone from this forum has any good recommendation about what type of light weight yet durable and affordable mobility scooter to purchase that would work venturing the city and museums.
Thank you in advance.
GM
I am a new member of FlyerTalk and desperately need your assistance for the upcoming travel to London. My husband has a paralysis (CVA - Left side) and unable to walk very far. I need to know if anyone from this forum has any good recommendation about what type of light weight yet durable and affordable mobility scooter to purchase that would work venturing the city and museums.
Thank you in advance.
GM
Jan 29, 2013, 7:07 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: DEN
Posts: 1,962
Welcome to FlyerTalk, GiseleMarie!
Are you planning to buy a mobility scooter wherever you currently are (your profile doesn't indicate what country you are in) and then take it with you on the plane for your London trip? Or are you asking about renting/buying one in London? How much time do you have to research this decision?
Are you planning to buy a mobility scooter wherever you currently are (your profile doesn't indicate what country you are in) and then take it with you on the plane for your London trip? Or are you asking about renting/buying one in London? How much time do you have to research this decision?
Mar 14, 2013, 8:06 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1
I travel with a Shoprider Dasher. It's very compact and lightweight. The Pride Go-Go is nice and lightweight for travel as well. Both should handle a day of sightseeing from a full charge, but always remember to bring the charger with you just in case.
Mar 16, 2013, 12:53 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta frequent flyer Gold Medallion Status
Posts: 876
I am very pleased with my Pride Go Go. We take it every time we travel. I drive it to the door of the plane where it is gate checked and returned to me at the door of the plane when we land. We took it to Italy last year, and it was great. I would have not been able to much of anything without it.
If you are buying in the US look around for prices. Within 70 miles of where we live I found prices different by as much as $300. You might also think about looking for a used scooter. Many people buy them and then do not use them very much. My neighbor found one on Craig's List last fall and saved significantly over a new one.
If you are buying in the US look around for prices. Within 70 miles of where we live I found prices different by as much as $300. You might also think about looking for a used scooter. Many people buy them and then do not use them very much. My neighbor found one on Craig's List last fall and saved significantly over a new one.
Mar 23, 2013, 11:03 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: Delta Gold, Priority Club Gold, Hilton & Marriott Silver
Posts: 292
TravelScoot
My spouse owns a TravelScoot. Our first international trip, we rented this scooter and it worked so well for his disability (Parkinson's) that we bought one (from eBay) along with a molded plastic golf case in which I disassemble the scooter and place it in checked luggage (no charge as it's a medical device).
Before buying the TravelScoot, he had a Go Go Traveler (3 wheel); however, I was the one assembling and disassembling and lifting the pieces which was killing my back so we never did use it for air travel. The TravelScoot weighs 35# all assembled. We used it on a Danube cruise, flying into Budapest and out of Prague then used it again for a Seine cruise, flying in/out of Paris. We've also used it to fly domestically on a few occasions. TSA in Las Vegas had different rules for security scanning than Tucson and Newark did but we got through without incident... just don't expect two TSA groups to ask you to do the same thing - push it through the x-ray doorway, don't push it through, etc.
Some folks need more "strapping in" than the TravelScoot will provide; it won't work for everyone. However, you can look at the web site Scootanywhere.com and see they have other options as well. It's not cheap but I needed something that wouldn't have my back go out in Europe so it was worth it and it gave hubby a big sense of independence. (All that being said, I don't think there's any problem with the Go Go Traveler other than taking a little more time to assemble/disassemble perhaps. It's a matter of what works for you!)
I do recommend you try out whatever you take in advance, and remember that you'll need either an extra battery or the equipment to charge it after each use (we took an international plug and converter but didn't need it while on the ship). I religiously plugged it in every day upon our return to the ship so it was fully charged the next morning.
If you decide on a TravelScoot, you can often try one out from another owner by talking to the company about a local reference.
I hope this helps.
Before buying the TravelScoot, he had a Go Go Traveler (3 wheel); however, I was the one assembling and disassembling and lifting the pieces which was killing my back so we never did use it for air travel. The TravelScoot weighs 35# all assembled. We used it on a Danube cruise, flying into Budapest and out of Prague then used it again for a Seine cruise, flying in/out of Paris. We've also used it to fly domestically on a few occasions. TSA in Las Vegas had different rules for security scanning than Tucson and Newark did but we got through without incident... just don't expect two TSA groups to ask you to do the same thing - push it through the x-ray doorway, don't push it through, etc.
Some folks need more "strapping in" than the TravelScoot will provide; it won't work for everyone. However, you can look at the web site Scootanywhere.com and see they have other options as well. It's not cheap but I needed something that wouldn't have my back go out in Europe so it was worth it and it gave hubby a big sense of independence. (All that being said, I don't think there's any problem with the Go Go Traveler other than taking a little more time to assemble/disassemble perhaps. It's a matter of what works for you!)
I do recommend you try out whatever you take in advance, and remember that you'll need either an extra battery or the equipment to charge it after each use (we took an international plug and converter but didn't need it while on the ship). I religiously plugged it in every day upon our return to the ship so it was fully charged the next morning.
If you decide on a TravelScoot, you can often try one out from another owner by talking to the company about a local reference.
I hope this helps.
May 12, 2013, 12:21 pm
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I saw a traveler with a TravelScoot - easy, iirc, to have folded up and checked, convenient, easy to charge is what it appeared to be. The gentleman in question had flown on Air Tahit Nui with it, and was able to do considerable touring with family and friends on various islands in French Polynesia from the M/S Paul Gauguin cruise ship - and I can tell you there's not so much accommodation for people with mobility impairments in French Polynesia (but there's a generally more welcoming (maeva) and accepting attitude found among the Mā'ohi people).
TravelScoot assembled and folded
TravelScoot assembled and folded