BespokeMitch

Hi everyone Im very new to this forum so Im not sure where this is meant to go but please read this and hopefully if anyone has any advice or tips or since it would be much appreciated.

For the past month I have been writing to Airlines asking for advice about how I would be able to get a special ugrade from Economy Class to First class due to my disability, for my planned trip to Australia on the 21st of December 2013 until the 1st of February 2014. I have now received an email back from different airlines with an unsatisfactory response where I do not believe they have taken special consideration. Below I enclose more details on the situation:

My name is Lee Mitch and I have a severe disability called Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2 (SMA TYPE 2 for short). This consequently makes me electric wheelchair bound/unable to walk, and unable to do anything on my own without help, which requires me to have a carer/personal-assistant 24/7. I need 24/7 medical assistance, it is necessary for my personal assistant/ carer to be with me at all times as I can’t be left on my own. SMA Type 2 also gives me added health problems such as scoliosis (curvature of the spine). I enclose the following link that gives further information on my disability and some of the health issues it brings.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Spinal-.../Symptoms.aspx

However my disability brings me a dominant disadvantage when flying. Usually for short-haul flights the longest I can sit in an economy seat is approximately an hour and that is with heavy painkillers.

On a long-haul flight however, this is a different story. For my 21st Birthday, I went to Las Vegas with British Airways Economy Class. Within an hour of the flight I was in excruciating pain, due to the seat not supporting my disability and associated health problems. The flight attendants upgraded me to First Class where I was able to lay down, adjust my position frequently, softer seating, have privacy due to personal medical issues, extra legroom and other factors of being First Class privileged passenger. On the return trip I was automatically upgraded due to my disability and the scenario which occurred before.

Traveling First Class to Australia Melbourne would accommodate all of my disability and personal needs. Unlike most passengers I will be stationed in the seat for the whole duration of the flight. I would need to be able to lie down and reposition in privacy for pressure and pain relief medical purposes. In addition to this, I would not be able to use toileting facilities; therefore, having a First Class Suite would allow me to use a discreet portable urine bottle.

I have emailed a specific letter to the following Airlines:
· British Airways Customer Relations CEO
· Emirates Customer Relations
· Qatar Customer Relations
· Air China
Asking them for special consideration in upgrading me from Economy Class to First Class, on the basis of medical grounds, as it is not my fault Economy class does not cater for my medical/disability needs.

I also enclosed a support letter from my doctor which confirms my disability and medical needs and the appropriateness of flying First Class. [I can also provide this letter to you].

The replies I have received are shown below:

· British Airways Customer Relations CEO – “While I completely understand the reason for your request, and do not underestimate the severity of your condition, I cannot arrange for you to be upgraded from World Traveller to First. We receive many requests for upgrades, and a great number very similar to you own. We have to ensure that we are fair and consistent to all of our customers, so we are unable to meet the vast majority of requests.”

· Emirates Customer Relations - Whilst I empathise with the situation, unfortunately it is not Emirates policy to offer complimentary upgrades, in fairness to those passengers who have paid the higher First class fare.”

· Qatar Customer Relations – “We regret to advise you that it is not Qatar Airways policy to offer complimentary upgrades unless it is for operational reasons only and we are sorry that we are unable to grant your request on this occasion”

· Air China – “At this stage I am sorry to say that we can only offer wheel chair assistants at the airport and to the plane. For free upgrade service I cannot say if this service will be offered and guarantee with Air China.”

I would be more than happy to forward you on the whole responses at your request.

If it wasn’t for my disability I would happily travel economy class, however, due to my condition I cannot undertake such a long journey in economy class – an inadequate provision that doesn’t cater for my disability. The only way I can make the journey is by a lie down bed style seat/cabin (see attached Doctors medical statement).

Also, I need a carer to help at all times for day to day activities – feeding, toileting etc. From a safety aspect, I cannot lift myself, reach an emergency exit unaided, unfasten a seat belt, retrieve and fit a life jacket or fit an oxygen mask etc. therefore it is essential that I will need to travel with my companion/carer/ safety assistant next to me for help to do this.

I maintain that due to no fault of my own I have to fund an upgrade to cater for my disability. I would suggest that given these unique circumstances, it is grossly unfair to have to pay for two upgrades just because of the nature of my disability.

If anyone knows of any advice or contacts of help that could help me achieve this it would be greatly appreciated. I'm not sure how the email works on here but I can be reached at [Removed]

Thank you for taking time to read this

mia

Welcome to FlyerTalk. I have moved your post from the broad MilesBuzz! forum to our specialized Disability Travel forum.

Here is a link you can save to find your way back to this forum:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/disability-travel-224/

Katja

Lee, welcome to FlyerTalk!

I'm afraid you've received accurate information from the airlines you have contacted. No airline is required to upgrade you due to disability, nor is any airline required to transport your PCA without a ticket. It can be quite expensive to travel in comfort with a severe disability.

In addition to soliciting advice here, you may want to peruse threads in the CareCure Recreation, Sports, Travel, & Hobbies forum, as there are many power chair users there who fly.

Often1

Sorry - But have never heard of any rule which requires a carrier to provide for free that which it sells just because of a medical need.

flyingwheels

Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely no personal bad feelings, wish you anything but well or whatever. Having said that, I think it is unrealistic to expect any airline to hand out free upgrades because of a disability. Some do every once in a while when at boarding seats are still available to accomodate easier assistance etc, which is a nice move for all involved. But to expect it? At moment of booking? No, it is not your fault you have a disability. Neither is it the airline. Asking them to suck up the consequences that come from that is not something that IMHO should be expected. This is not about any airline being a pain, it's about your disability being your pain and IMHO wrongly expecting others to take the pain for that.

I get the situation. Get is very much so, only can fly in very very certain business and or first class seats on very limited types of configurations. That is already a bit of a balancing act, it makes it doable and safe but still is so too much it results in a huge permanent decline of health. But honestly, I would be mortified to go about it this way, sorry. My disability, my need, my comfort -in regards to the pain etc-, my safety -with regards to those health stuff that result in health risks in eco. So be it. It's part of life with what is my body. Might not be my choice or fault, but that does not mean I can then expect or ask that any other individual, commercial company or gouvernment (beyond certain social legislation that might be in place) to take on the consequences of what comes with MY health and MY disability. It is what it is.

Just like when a hotel will cost me more because my health now requires location Z, whereas normall I would've been just as happy in hotel Y but that does not matches my health. C'est la vie. At the moment I'm almost 24/7 bedridden. If not within this year, I will be expected to be on bed 24/7 next year. Each and every "sit" results in direct an permanent overall decline. Plan is a last trip to Florida (live in the EU) to say goodbye to a very beloved special place. That is booked at the moment as a business class ticket. Expensive? YES! But, it's either that or not go. Easy decision, I'll rather safe for a longer time and go. If I end up deciding to do any more trips that require flying -or let's touch would, it would be needed for upcoming trip-, that would result in a simple business or first class seat not being sufficiant but needing a proper bed. Read; at least 6, but given the requirements, most likely at least 8 seats spacewise needed to accomodate such a need. A pain, huge, not my choice, but never would I look towards airlines to pick up the bill for that. Would have loved to have been able to visit my family in Ozzie and say goodbye, but alas financially totally out of reach. C'est la vie.


As far as privacy for urinary relief; practice and creativity goes a long way. Men have an easier starting position thanks to Mother Nature, but both women and man alike can take care of this if need be in something as close in as an economy seat without even the person next to you having a clue what you are doing. Have been doing so for years and know I'm not alone. Working on techniques goes a real long way. With an aid practice is even more important as you do not want it to risk looking....... improper so to say. But a bit of practice and a good mix of creativity and a blanket goes such a long way. Another option for men is to use a condom catheter. Rather commonly used by men with all kinds of disabilities, purely for in flight. World round trips would be no problem either as an aid is needed anyway, who can very discretely remove a collection bag from leg, empty and put back in place. If not up to date about different options and materials; contact a incontinence nurse. Through them and suppliers you can get all kinds of free samples of product, which can include as much as a dozen of the same material (more then plenty to try and use while travelling).


Financewise; being an adult options tend to be more limited in many countries, but still options in many so I'll mention them; special organisations that sponsor dreams and stuff like that. Most tend to not be an option for "normal" travel like for instance "have been last year", but more geared towards those who haven't had any vacation for years, are terminally ill or fullfilling a huge lifelong dream. But, investigating which options there are in your neighbourhood and country never hurts.

Gouvernment; many countries have options for deductions when filing your taxes. It differs greatly per country, but there are some where you can deduct the EXTRA costs that are a direct result of a disability. That would basically result in getting a percentage covered comparable to the tax percentage that your income fits under (minus possible minimum deductables some countries have etc. etc. etc. ).

Do price research. It can make a huge difference sometimes. For Ozzie they're not an option, but when looking at the other side of our continent Aer Lingus tends to be very cheap with their business class product compared to others on the same route. Yet; same product allround and service beats many other airlines. It's not uncommon to find them to be 50-60% or even cheaper on certain routes.

If your thing, you could consider something like a type of sponsoring, collection, "selling" something you have to offer (talent, your lovely company, your humor, whatever) for "flying miles", that kinda stuff.

DeafFlyer

If you want the upgrade, pay for it. Simple as that. That's how it works.

echip

Sorry to hear your pain. I hope all is well with you.

But, since the airline industry is already trying to nickel and dime us, I am not surprise you get the responses like those. The thing is, if airlines have a policy to give out free upgrade for disabilities, I am sure many not so honest people will try to take advantage of this loophole, such as pay doctors to get proof of disabilities, etc. Not saying you are.

HiltonP

BespokeMitch,

I too have Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and have been permanently confined to a wheelchair for more than 35 years. I am unable to lift, dress, bathe or toilet myself. From this you can deduce that I also require the attention of a permanent carer.

Despite this I have undertaken more than 26 international flights, none of which have been less than 11 hours in duration, and a number of which have been over 15 hours in duration. Added to this I have undertaken more than 100 domestic flights, none of which have been less than 3 hours in duration.

I have used more than a dozen airlines, on five continents, and not once have I ever asked for, or received, an upgrade of any kind (from economy class). I have never even seen what the inside of the first-class cabin looks like, let alone sat there!...

The strange thing is I have actually found economy class more suitable since if one books towards the back of the plane (centre aisle) there is more of a chance of finding open seats adjacent to one. The armrests can then be lifted up, and I can lie down across two or three seats for a couple of hours. I then set out for meals, or to watch a movie, and then lie down again if needed.

Good luck with your travels, Australia is a wonderful destination for disabled travellers.


Regards, HILTON

awksus

Hey dude,

Why not do what others do and BUY a whole row of economy? Back pain? How about BUSINESS lay flat seats? Sounds like you feel entitled to 1st class now that you have been given it once, IMHO. In No way do i think you do not deserve it, I feel you do.... but all do. And that is the thing... I will even use myself as an example (not trying to be hard, trying to be realistic & business-thought-process).... Why do you feel the airline should have to waste all that revenue potential, just for lil' old you? Those seats typically go for $20,000-30,000 just from USA>Europe alone, let alone longer routes like SYD! You are paying for all those rows of economy, cut out, to put in a first class seat.... and you feel the airline should pay for your disability why?... because they owe it to you? Because you are doing them favour by flying them? okay.

I just got back from BUYING myself into United Business, and I do that not because it is nice (it is) but I AM FALLING APART in my 20s and I *must* have lay flat for lower back purposes. Because I am young, from a deadbeat family who never earned enough SS credits, hid my disabilities from me until I turned well over age 18, now they are rearing their ugly head in many ways (too long to go on about and no one cares so i wont bother) & i can't even collect SS because I have not had enough work credits because I went to University overseas (thus not worked in U.S.), entered a field of study that turns out it might all be for nothing due to degenerative issues & genetics, unable to claim since no US work history,

and okay you say, most kids then claim on their parents SocialSecurity if young, well it just so happens my mom is head injured (long story), my deadbeat dad leached off her not earning any social security credits, I FINALLY got her to divorce him, finally after years of physical abuse to her and me, and thus, I have to pay for everything myself, EVERYTHING, as I'm uninsurable, unable to claim disability since not enough credits.... I'm in LIMBO. I know a kid who has social anxiety, plays xbox all day, and gets 2600 + free tution + free laptop from the govt, all cuz his parents claimed when he was 17 for him. For every phsyical problem I suffer their 'anxiety' and every other SSRI-linked disorder on the book, so I do feel right to note him. Sorry not trying to rant. My point is, I have to pay all this sh*** myself, pay for business class myself, when...

i would love to sit in economy with kids my age and go to Europe 5, 6, 7x!! over, the way I USED to do it, instead of SAVING and blowing the equivalancy of 5 roundtrips on 1 Business class ticket, just so I can salvage what I have left. Or, as you would say 'necessity' (if its as necessary for you as it is me, then you will suck it up and pay, like me.) At least you can get proper Rx's for pain. I bet you have a nice MRI & Xray dr's can look at & verify, you probably got it on your national healthcare or for a $30 copay. Last time I had a minor surgery, it cost over $32,000 out of pocket. I can't imagine how much back surgery would cost me. In my state you are not destitute for Medical care unless pregnant, breast cancer (nope, nope!, guy...) & you can not have car in excess value of $300. 300!!! Yes flying is expensive. Yes disability is too. Yes it costs a lot, Yes your disabled, No your not entitled, Nor am I, despite how much both of us wish... Either pay up or don't go. YOu got nuf' cash to go to vegas you got 'nuf time to SAVE. get over it brah (respectfully).

Katja

Note that the original poster (who has not logged in since he posted to check for answers) appears to be from the UK, so this treatise on not claiming US Social Security isn't particularly relevant. Welcome to FlyerTalk.