Flying UA with crutches
#16
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https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/de...t_facts/ffvr07
Not that that helps the OP with his trip on United...
#17
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#18
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SFO
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#19
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
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All excellent advice. I've walked from the United gates on one spoke to another at SFO and EWR so many times, I never thought much about how far it actually is. Then I tried it on crutches. I'm a fit (16 min OLH) guy, but that was incredibly miserable. I would not recommend it to anyone.
I was thinking it likely I'll end up flying into C or D and out of F at ORD. If I take the shuttle, it's not quite so bad, except for the stairs down to the tarmac. I did walk from the Ortho appointment (Kaiser Redwood City) back to my bike shop on El Camino a couple days after the accident, just to prove I could. It was not fun. Of course, it's on Strava. :-) So the wheelchair thing might actually be reasonable. Hate that. Maybe one of those golf cart things instead? Never ever thought I'd be in an airport in either one!
Not an issue (getting a disabled parking sticker); I take the train & bart to the airport.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Mar 3, 2019 at 8:53 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member
#20
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Just takes a little extra time. I flew BOS to NRT once. I had a rollerboard, rucksack and bicycle. Sprained my ankle the day before the flight. Bit of struggle getting from the curb to check with all of that on crutches, but as soon as the staff saw me, they were super helpful.
#21
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#22
Join Date: Jul 2013
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I did walk from the Ortho appointment (Kaiser Redwood City) back to my bike shop on El Camino a couple days after the accident, just to prove I could. It was not fun. Of course, it's on Strava. :-) So the wheelchair thing might actually be reasonable. Hate that. Maybe one of those golf cart things instead? Never ever thought I'd be in an airport in either one!
#23
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Redwood City, CA USA (SFO/SJC)
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Watts are so yesterday. What's your VAM? Mine's been heading steadily downhill, and the time off the bike isn't kind to my weight. Awesome that you can work the magic on the hotel bikes. I never could. Have not tried beetroot juice, but it could help with my lung issues by making more efficient use of oxygen. Thanks for the reminder.
I had a bone marrow biopsy last February that I rode to from the shop, and back. The nurse had a fit. My doctor knew that's what I'd be doing, but she neglected to tell the nurse. Had to leave AMA (against medical advice). If I can do things on my own, I do. No "chair" required at SFO on departure; flight's not until 12:20pm so plenty of time to "walk" from BART to T3. The return will be problematic because I have a Transportation Planning Advisory Committee meeting at 6pm in Redwood City, and my flight arrives SFO 5:06pm. If I wasn't impaired, I'd be able to get to the meeting about 15 minutes late. But on crutches... what's traffic like from SFO to Redwood City on 101? I suspect not fun!
#24
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Watts are so yesterday. What's your VAM? Mine's been heading steadily downhill, and the time off the bike isn't kind to my weight. Awesome that you can work the magic on the hotel bikes. I never could. Have not tried beetroot juice, but it could help with my lung issues by making more efficient use of oxygen. Thanks for the reminder.
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I had a bone marrow biopsy last February that I rode to from the shop, and back. The nurse had a fit. My doctor knew that's what I'd be doing, but she neglected to tell the nurse. Had to leave AMA (against medical advice). If I can do things on my own, I do. No "chair" required at SFO on departure; flight's not until 12:20pm so plenty of time to "walk" from BART to T3. The return will be problematic because I have a Transportation Planning Advisory Committee meeting at 6pm in Redwood City, and my flight arrives SFO 5:06pm. If I wasn't impaired, I'd be able to get to the meeting about 15 minutes late. But on crutches... what's traffic like from SFO to Redwood City on 101? I suspect not fun!
[color=#333333]
I had a bone marrow biopsy last February that I rode to from the shop, and back. The nurse had a fit. My doctor knew that's what I'd be doing, but she neglected to tell the nurse. Had to leave AMA (against medical advice). If I can do things on my own, I do. No "chair" required at SFO on departure; flight's not until 12:20pm so plenty of time to "walk" from BART to T3. The return will be problematic because I have a Transportation Planning Advisory Committee meeting at 6pm in Redwood City, and my flight arrives SFO 5:06pm. If I wasn't impaired, I'd be able to get to the meeting about 15 minutes late. But on crutches... what's traffic like from SFO to Redwood City on 101? I suspect not fun!
Good luck!
#25
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: PSC
Posts: 45
Busted my ankle in Sept while in St Thomas. They picked me up from the curb with a wheelchair, got me through security and to a special handicapped waiting area near the gate. Since the plane didn't have a jetway, they used the lift (normally to bring food up) for me to get to the main door. I was able to get to my seat, crutches in overhead. At ATL, they wheelchaired me to new gate and then in PDX wheelchaired me to my hotel van. My friend loved all the 'benefits' of early boarding etc with me.
#26
Join Date: Sep 2009
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#27
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: SFO
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I flew to Munich from SFO on crutches 2 years ago - wasn’t fun but manageable and I did it without wheelchair assistance just because I’m stubborn and like being self sufficient. I used an I-walk (peg leg type device) so that I could pull my suitcase in one hand and then carry my crutches in the other.
#28
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: DEN
Posts: 1,962
Will you be in anyone's car at any point? Even if you do not normally drive yourself, a placard is very helpful if you will be in someone else's car as they can then park more conveniently. You can always get it and then not use it; it's harder to use a placard that you do not have.
#29
Join Date: Sep 2014
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https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...rvice-cut.html
#30
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 553
On my flight yesterday, one passenger in F kept her crutches next to her seat during the flight for easy access (she was sitting in the window seat). I don't remember whether they fit in the overhead or not, but I imagine they had to be stowed for take off and landing.