Analise

For those of you who travel using airport wheelchair service, has there been a wheelchair and an employee to push it waiting for you when your flight has arrived either at the gate (or where the shuttle lets you off if your flight doesn’t have a gate) especially when you need to make a potentially tight but legal connection? I am wondering how wheelchair service has been affected during the pandemic and if you have found yourself waiting for a wheelchair while everybody else disembarks.

If any of you has experience with SLC, I would especially be interested. Thank you.

Jaimito Cartero

No experience at SLC, but if you enter in all your disability info into the airline you’re flying (able to walk up stairs, aisle chair), it’s usually fine. I always ask the FA when boarding if they have me down for a wheelchair in the destination city.

In big airports like LAX, they use a shuttle with a lift if you’re going further between terminals. Always had pretty good luck, but I make sure for a minimum 90 minute connection. 120 minutes is better.

mymsman

It can be pot luck and depends on how many other flights there are requiring wheelchair assistance at the same time, staff absences and so on,
usually the wheelchair is ready and waiting but on occasion we have had lengthy waits for the chair to arrive.
You also have to bear in mind that wheelchair passengers are often the last to be disembarked.
It is worth discussing the issue with the flight crew - they may be able to radio ahead as well as helping you to disembark earlier.

I hope you are travelling on a single ticket and not separate bookings.

Analise

I will speak with them, thank you!

Yes, I am booked on a single ticket. I have never had to wait for an aircraft to disembark. I typically am one of the first to deboard the aircraft. Then again, I have never connected at SLC.

Two years ago, I flew to CVG and there were no wheelchairs for 4 pax (myself included) on that flight and the reason given was that the airport considered our arrival to be “off-peak“ and there were no wheelchair pushers available. We arrived at 11 AM on a Friday morning at the end of May. The DL FAs took charge and located wheelchairs for those who needed the wheelchairs the most. They were furious and I thought went above and beyond to help.

mymsman

That has not been our experience, About the only time we have been early off was in Hanoi when travelling business class!
Normally the queue to disembark forms the moment the flight reaches the gate so it is much easier to wait in our seats until the throng has gone and the FA signals that the wheelchair is ready.

We have never been though SLC but numerous flights to destinations around Europe, USA and worldwide,
We travel with our own wheelchair or mobility scooter, A manual wheelchair will usually be carried up to aircraft door while it is often necessary to use an airport chair to baggage claim to collect the scooter.

Flyingmama

Like you, I am also typically one of the first to disembark since I don't travel with carryon stuff. I've never encountered a problem with domestic US flights, but I did flying into Canada. There were no wheelchairs/attendants waiting on arrival, and I was told Air Canada has a different system - they wait until everyone else has disembarked and then bring down the wheelchairs. Since my connection was tight, and the plane full so disembarking would take quite a while, I felt I had no choice but to painfully hobble my way toward the next gate and hope I made it. Fortunately I found the wheelchair/attendants clustered at the top of the jet bridge and they took me the rest of the way, But it did cause me quite a bit of anxiety, not to mention pain.

legionnaire

I have to book travel for a couple traveling with me domestic US connecting in either DEN/SLC/MSP/DTW. Both legs will be on the same airline i.e. all UA or all DL or all WN (Southwest). Both people traveling with me cannot walk long distances but can walk unassisted from gate to seat and seat to gate. I expect we will travel with carry-on only.

I'm interested in any reports folks here have on Wheelchair assistance when connecting at these airports (DEN, SLC, MSP, DTW) on a domestic connection on one of these three airlines (UA, DL, WN). Anything to watch out for?

legionnaire

Answering my own question:

• MSP. Delta. They had a golf cart waiting at the gate. A wheelchair at the jetbridge. The golf cart driver took the long way around from one terminal to another instead of taking the shortcut.
• DEN. United. Similar experience. Wheelchair at Jetbridge. Golf Cart at Gate.

Absolutely no issues making the transfer from terminal/gate to terminal/gate.