Wheelchair Travel Tips -Boarding a Plane & Renting a Car
Posted: March 11th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Travel For Disabled | Tags: airplane, cord, disabled, easystand, handicapped, injury, paraplegic, quadriplegic, SCI, spinal, tips, transfer, travel, wheelchair | 25 Comments »
Great travel tips from Mark, a paraplegic and experienced wheelchair user, on everything from checking your wheelchair, getting an aisle chair, to getting your car rental and hand controls. www.easystand.com
The free 1st class upgrade is nice but always being able to just jump into the first seat is ideal. Having to use that isle chair is a big pain. Everyone just ask when you check in if the first row is available for you. If it is or a 1st class seat is available you will almost always be switched to it. Easier for everyone involved.
I was not aware there may be discounts available in the short term parking. I will be checking into this at my local airport so I am not paying $80 for a weekend trip. Parking out in long term in a lot of trouble with the transport of luggage and finding an accessible tram while trying to make it on time for a flight.
Cool!! I travel a lot and knew most of that, but you still had 1 tip I didn’t know. Thanks.
wat type of airplane was it???
how do you manage bowel and bladder while on a long flight?
Great video,but I’m curious,where do they actually put your chair after you are seated?
first class was fun
Boeing 757-200
the train transporter was in the hartsfield jackson airport? rigt???
Actually is was at Denver International.
That is a very tricky thing. You really need to stop eating a day or two before and load up with immodium. As far as the liquids go depending on what you use, bring a couple of gatorade containers and go with the flow.
They tag the chair and put it in the belly of the plane. Some ask for it to be put on board and they are suppose to if they have the room. I have not done this but friends have and it works. Remember to get it tag and ask to have it brought up when leaving the plane. BEWARE wheelchair service has gotten bad for the walking disabled and they have been known to take the chair sitting there. This happened to me in Minneapolis and NWA has been sued over this in Detroit.
Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it.:)
I’m a 10/11 Para. Thats kinda weird that alot of you have had probs with Ableboddied’s taken chairs I have traveled around the world, many times by my self and in almost 20 airline flights over 24+ Yrs of travel Only once did some old bitty try and sit in my chair….. But I don’t think she was mentaly all there…. If you are woried about it tell the atendent…..
This is a great video and echoes what we have found throughout the US and Europe with my husband who has MS and is in a wheelchair
Great tips! Thanks so much. However, would someone tell me how you get to the airplane ‘wash-room’ (W.C) from your seat after they have taken your wheelchair away to store? Do they just bring it back for you and if so, how the **** do you get into the tiny W.C. on a plane? I have avoided flying because of this.
They have a smaller folding aisle chair to help you to the washroom if needed. I usually use the washroom at hte airport just before boarding though and don’t drink a lot before or while I’m on the plane so I don’t have to go while on the plane. This is a lot easier because you don’t have to be pushed through all of the people on the plane getting caught up in people’s arms etc. Then I go again as soon as I’m in the next airport before going to luggage claim.
Thanks! Although I am not sure that I can go 10 hours without using the washroom, even if I do what you suggested – which I WILL remember next time I need to go for a short trip! Anyway, thanks a lot for your reply.
i know what a friend of mine used to do.. eat alot of rice or somethin like that that obsorbs water… take (i think its called) i diaretic, so u dont hafta pee (ask a dr.)… and avoid tea or caffien, they constrict the bladder… hope i helped and didnt give any bad advice
powertrack55 thanks for trying, with your advice based on your friend’s experiences. Unfortunately eating rice will not ‘absorb’ fluids in the body – the kidneys see to that, and your kidneys being really important organs, do not like diuretics unless you need them for cardiac failure or other medical disorder. The diuretics also change the salt ions in your body and can cause serious illness if abused. The caffeine in coffee does seem to act as a diuretic in itself.
thank you, God bless
Thanks for the video. I have a question about tire pressure. Do you need to lose some pressure before you fly, will the tires burst?
I have Schwalbe Marathons and they are 145psi. They won’t work with less than 80psi. What do you think?
What an awesome video thank you so much EasyStand.
I had my accident nearly a year ago and was really not looking forward to flying. I just wanted to let you know you have really helped a newly paraplegic guy down here in oz thanks mate!
Wheelz.
Now you can go from “down under’ to flying high!
Excellent video! I’m disabled myself and this extremely helpful. I flew to CA from VA a couple of times around 10 yrs ago or so and I got bumped to 1st clas which was awesome but I would have found a video like this very helpful b4 I went. Thanks