Didifficulties with wheelchair assistance
Jun 22, 2022, 5:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Middle Earth, and often worse
Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold
Posts: 2,217
Didifficulties with wheelchair assistance
On Monday I flew TP 262 (YYZ - LIS) and had difficulties with wheelchair assistance at both airports. At Toronto I was eventually taken to the AC lounge (I was in Business class) and had difficulty getting a TAP subcontractor to get me to the gate as "none were available". After a great flight to LIS, it took 2 hours to deplane about 8 folks who needed wheelchair assistance. We were bussed to the terminal then had to wait on the bus for wheelchairs. Then we had to wait for folks to push us in the wheelchairs. Just before passport control, we waited for about 30 minutes. Then a supervisor pushed one fellow to passport control and another supervisor pushed me thru - up to baggage reclaim. Then she got a baggage cart for me and I was off to my Uber ride pushing my cart.
The entire process took about 3 hours - and I don't know how long the other 6 people were left in wheelchairs before passport control. I will see what happens when I fly LIS -YYZ in July with BA (to maintain my BAEC status)
The entire process took about 3 hours - and I don't know how long the other 6 people were left in wheelchairs before passport control. I will see what happens when I fly LIS -YYZ in July with BA (to maintain my BAEC status)
Jun 22, 2022, 7:38 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,743
In other parts of the world, you seldom see wheelchair pax at airports, but in North America, it seems that every time I enter the jetbridge after a flight, there are like twenty wheelchairs waiting for pax.
My guess here is you experienced TAP's way to discourage pax from requesting those wheelchairs, as it is expensive for the airline. Just like some airlines tend to make their special meals as terrible as possible, so pax won't order them again.
My guess here is you experienced TAP's way to discourage pax from requesting those wheelchairs, as it is expensive for the airline. Just like some airlines tend to make their special meals as terrible as possible, so pax won't order them again.
Jun 22, 2022, 11:31 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Middle Earth, and often worse
Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold
Posts: 2,217
In other parts of the world, you seldom see wheelchair pax at airports, but in North America, it seems that every time I enter the jetbridge after a flight, there are like twenty wheelchairs waiting for pax.
My guess here is you experienced TAP's way to discourage pax from requesting those wheelchairs, as it is expensive for the airline. Just like some airlines tend to make their special meals as terrible as possible, so pax won't order them again.
My guess here is you experienced TAP's way to discourage pax from requesting those wheelchairs, as it is expensive for the airline. Just like some airlines tend to make their special meals as terrible as possible, so pax won't order them again.
Jun 23, 2022, 4:46 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,743
It all boils down to those pax who order a wheelchair just for "fun", to bypass immigration queues etc. They do a huge disservice to folks who really need that wheelchair.
Jun 23, 2022, 9:24 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Middle Earth, and often worse
Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold
Posts: 2,217
I wonder if it is just a cost factor and TAP not willing to pay for this so-called service for "handicapped" pax.
Jun 23, 2022, 4:40 pm
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: HEL
Programs: AY Platinum, TK Elite, BT VIP, AA, BA, SK, DL, NT, WB + hotels
Posts: 8,743
The usual wheelchair process (on many airlines) is very swift, which might encourage pax to book a wheelchair only because that way they can whisk through all the formalities, bypassing perhaps hundreds of pax standing in immigration and customs queues. Apparently, your experience with TAP was very very different.
Jun 26, 2022, 10:58 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Middle Earth, and often worse
Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold
Posts: 2,217
This is exactly what I believe it's all about. So the way for TAP to handle this would be to make the "wheelchair experience" as miserable and slow as possible, discouraging pax from booking that wheelchair unless they really cannot cope without one.
The usual wheelchair process (on many airlines) is very swift, which might encourage pax to book a wheelchair only because that way they can whisk through all the formalities, bypassing perhaps hundreds of pax standing in immigration and customs queues. Apparently, your experience with TAP was very very different.
The usual wheelchair process (on many airlines) is very swift, which might encourage pax to book a wheelchair only because that way they can whisk through all the formalities, bypassing perhaps hundreds of pax standing in immigration and customs queues. Apparently, your experience with TAP was very very different.
Tomorrow, here in Portugal I see my orthopedic surgeon about my slow, but steady, recovery.
Last edited by tmac100; Jun 26, 2022 at 3:26 pm