I'm due to fly to LA with my partner on Thursday morning, bad news is I've broke a bone in my foot.

It's not in plaster, I've got a 'moonboot' on and with crutches..I'm young fit and able to hobble round.

Im flying with Virgin to and from the UK, but flying with AA and Frontier Airlines whilst in the us, (LA to Vegas then Vegas to NYC via Milwakuee)

I've phoned virgin and they have made arragements for me to go in bulkhead seats at the front (that was the persons specific words)

Has anyone had a similar problem?

What are the bulkhead seats like? Will i Have to phone AA and Frontier?

Thanks.

Bulkhead seats are seats where there is a wall in front of you rather than other seats. There is almost always more legroom. BUT there is no underseat storage so be prepared to put anything you have in the overhead bins for take-off and landings. This means everything, purses, laptop, bags, etc.

As far as phoning AA or Frontier you need to call BA back and ask them if you have seat assignments for those flights (I am assuming you bought all flights from BA as codeshares).


You may want to look at www.seatguru.com to see what the seat configuration will be on you flights and how bulkheads are laid out.

You will most likely have to contact each airline you are flying on to request a bulkhead seat (yes, all 3 airlines). You can request an electric cart for transportation within most airports (they are like golf carts, ask at the ticket counter or at the security checkpoint), you may be able to board first, and the flight attendants will help you stow your crutches in a coat closet.

Or get the doctor to write a note giving you extra leg-room.

That would work great for visiting at the doctors house but might not work so well on the airline.

Airlines are very good about trying to accomodate passengers with special needs. They will make every effort to put you in a bulkhead seat in the class of service you bought. Most likely you will be able to board first or before general boarding. Call BA and see what they have already organized for you. If you need to call AA and Frontier then simply give them a call and see what they say.

Just don't do anything that makes the airline feel like you are unfit to fly unless you have a specific type seat, like having a doctors note saying you must have extra legroom. If the airline can't accomodate the doctors orders, they could in theory, refuse you boarding.

My husband suffered a spinal cord injury a few years ago, and needed to use a walker for a while. (He's much better, now, and only needs a cane.)

We flew on AA twice while he was still in the walker. They could not have been more accomodating and were super-nice about it. We were allowed to board before anyone else, even FC and Exe Plats, so they could get his walker into the closet at the front of the plane.

My suggestion to you would be to call each airline and explain your situation. Bulkhead seats would probably be best for you, but be aware you have no underseat storage. All carryone items, including purses, have to be stowed in an overhead bin. Get to your seat and immediately stow your stuff before the bins run out of room.

Just two cents from me. I've flown with broken feet, toes and ankles, "replaced" knees and one hip. (Victim of a previous, "hard" career.) Unless you legs are really short, don't take a bulkhead row. You need space to stretch your leg and get the weight off the foot ankle. Ideally, get a boarding row seat (if there is mid-cabin boarding). Short of that, I'd rather have a seat in front of me - under which I can at least stretch out my legs - than a hard wall.

As suggested above, check seatguru for the specific aircraft type, or search the respective airline program forums for advice on the best seats for your aircraft. Many aircraft (some 737s on CO or Airbus A319/A320 on UA, for example, and many regional aircraft with first class) have cutouts at the bottom of the bulkheads or even just a curtain separating the classes, which allow you to stow your bags and stretch out. Some bulkheads do not have a cutout and actually might restrict legroom to stretch out.

If nothing else, you can at least purchase Stretch (extra legroom) seating on Frontier.

Additional information from the airline websites:
http://www.frontierairlines.com/fron...ecial-needs.do
http://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInforma...nningAhead.jsp

Also, be mindful as to where you foot will be in flight - left or right, is it going to get knocked in the aisle. If I was travelling with a friend / family member, I would put my bad leg next to them, as they are going to be conscious of it, rather than a stranger who might accidently forget and knock it, or the aisle where people WILL knock it.