Meeting point
 

Hi! My mother ( over 70 y) will go to IAD with Austrian from Vienna. I asked wheelchair service to her, becouse the 7x years, and she do not speak english.
What is yours advice: Where is the meeting pont, where my sister can wait her?
What is the protocol on the airport?
( come out from plan, go with w.chair to emigratoin offic, then to costum, and then to the Baggage Claim for the baggage?

Latya

A few years back, an airline could print a companion pass for you to meet a passenger with special needs at the arrival gate. I do not know if that is the case any more.

If that doesn't work, you can meet her as she comes out of customs. It's all the way at the right (as you enter) in the baggage claim area. There will probably be other people waiting there.

OK, thanks. And is it ususal to give gratuity to person who help with wheelchair?

at 4-6pm, there are usually about a thousand people waiting. this map
http://www.metwashairports.com/file/iadterm_train.pdf

indicates an information counter(i do not recall it) off to the left of the customs exit before you exit the airport, food services, and restrooms. i have used those restrooms. arrange to meet her in front of the restrooms. send her a written instruction to be taken to in front of the restrooms to meet you. have her give the wheelchair driver the note.

This is still very common - and it is called a "gate pass". However, it can't be done for international arrivals.

To anwer other questions raised...

Yes, it is very common to tip the person who helps her with the wheelchair. If she has limited English capability, it can be very useful for her to have a sheet of paper with alternating paragraphs (in her language and English) with all details of her travel, including your phone numbers.

Be sure that she knows to follow the ARRIVALS signs when she gets off the Austrian flight. That will get her onto a mobile lounge that takes her to IAB in the west end of the main terminal. (If she follows the TRANSFERS sign, she will go to the immigration facility in the C concourse for connecting passengers - which is a real pain to correct.)

In the IAB, she will first go through primary inspection, aka immigration/passport control. Then she claims her checked bags from a carousel (there are free baggage carts there - don't rent one while waiting for her). Then she passes secondary inspection, aka customs. Then she exits the IAB area into the west end of the lower level of the main terminal (aka the arrivals level, aka the baggage level). That is where you wait for her - just past carousel 14; very close to arrivals door # 1; a few steps from the Starbucks and restrooms. And, yes, there is a Travelers Aid information counter right there to answer any questions - it is set back a bit, but has a well-lit sign above it.

Ok!
These answers was very helpfull! I'm in Europe, and my syster will wait our mother on the airport.
Yes I made bilingual book with common words what can use at situations at the gato to boarding, on the board, on emigration office, near baggage claim, on the costum office. She has USA prepaid mobil phone, anf of course mobil numbers of my syster in the book.

Thanks the answers!

i never considered this in the past, but i do not know how a disabled person gets their bags off the carousel and out of immigration compound.

Ok, evereything was very easy. My mom arrived to IAD. The flight attandant show her the mens with wheelchairs. Then they go to the immigration/passport control. There was lot off passengers, that was a busy day. Than go together to the carousel. These bag has priority, the man went to find my mothers bag, and than go throu costum, and then to exit gate, where my sister wait they.
On the board said not to use mobilphone until end costum check.
It was very easy without any stress for my mother. She gave 4 USD to man with wheelchair ( she had nx50 USD and 4x1USD What do You think it was enough, or more be better? :confused:).

If anybody has this "problem" : how can an aged an non english speaking person travel by plane: it's very easy with wheelchar service.^

For Annandaler: So how little the Earth: my mother went to Annandale to my sister :)

The person pushing the wheelchair gets checked bags off the carousel inside customs/immigration, onto a free baggage cart, and pushes the wheelchair and baggage cart to the exit.

And for anyone needing help with getting bags off the carousel inside IAB, there are skycaps standing by.

It is wonderful to hear that your mother was so well cared for upon her arrival.

The $4 was possibly on the low side of what many Americans would tip for the service but almost certainly as much or more than the wheelchair attendant expected from an older foreign lady. Your mother did very well and I hope that she has a wonderful visit with your sister and a safe trip home.