How do wheelchair bound people fly

Most airlines recommend arriving at least hours before your flight, but wheelchair users may wish to give themselves, even more, time before their flight to clear security, check their wheelchair or other equipment, and make their way around the airport.

At security, some airports will require you to check your power wheelchair or scooter prior to clearing security checkpoints. If this is the case, you will be given a terminal wheelchair - and likely an attendant - to guide through the airport. Be sure to remove your personal belongings, including bags and backpacks, from your equipment.

Security will assist you through the procedure, so don't be afraid to ask questions or for help. When you reach your gate, speak with the airline representation at the terminal about pre-boarding. Once pre-boarding begins and you make your way down to the plane, you will need to be transferred to an aisle-sized wheelchair.

Passenger jets have a minimum aisle width of 15 inches. Before leaving your personal wheelchair, remove or protect any sensitive electronics, like a joystick for a power wheelchair, and remove any modifications likely to break in transport, like a headrest. If you have a power wheelchair, put it in free-wheel mode. Lastly, be sure to take your cushion with you and bring it on-board to use during your flight.

In flight, your bathroom options may be limited. Some airlines may be able to transport you to the bathroom via an aisle wheelchair. All aisle chairs have securement straps that go over the chest and legs. Airlines, contractors and airports are slowly adopting the Staxi chair, and I have seen it in many airports. If you are unable to walk or stand, it will be easier for you to select a seat which is NOT a bulkhead first row in any class of service because the armrests are immovable.

If you do choose a bulkhead seat, you will have to transfer or be lifted up and over one or more armrests to get to your seat. Airline employees and booking agents will assume the front row is best for a disabled passenger, but the row behind the bulkhead with movable aisle armrests may be more comfortable. As far as actually flying with it. I would say allocate time to get through TSA. They freaked out about the levers because they look like batons, but once I informed them of what they were they thought it was the coolest thing ever.

It helps that my chair is basically perpetually covered in something, and when I travel I am usually wearing a Spartan shirt or an [Operation Enduring Warrior] shirt so I get a lot of questions. Take it to the gate and check it like you would any other wheelchair. I put the levers in the lever receptacle vertically. It gives whoever is pushing it kind of a handle. You really have to expect a human variable; sometimes people are great, sometimes not so much.

As long as you approach it like a standard wheelchair, by law and human decency will allow you to gate check it. I just have a system. One of the advantages of flying with the chair is you board first, and we get bulkhead seats. Get there early as well! We are first in line. We get there early enough to be 1.

In , easyJet came under fire for preventing thousands of disabled people from flying on its planes by refusing to allow most powered wheelchairs onboard. Still, sometimes we are lucky if we are let on the plane at all.

Five difficulties wheelchair users face when flying by plane.