Airplane with wheelchair/ 300 lb. man

[Mimi Q]

I posted this on the Community Board and someone suggested this might be a better spot for this post, so here it goes. My in-laws have asked me to get them two airline tickets from Atlanta, Georgia to Sacramento, California. My father-in-law wants to go visit his sister. He had a kidney transplant a little over a year ago and his weight is up to over 300 lbs. due to all the anti-rejection drugs. He also needs a wheelchair as he cannot walk long distances due to diabetic neuropathy in his legs and a heart condition. I looked at two first class tickets as I thought he needed more room than a regular seat, but they were each approximately $2,500. Then I thought about getting two seats for him. I was hoping someone might have some suggestions for me. Will someone help them with the wheelchair? My mother-in-law has arthritis, and I don't know how she can manage it. None of us flies very much and I really don't know how to handle these details.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I am a little under 300# (and 6'2") and find that coach seats can be VERY uncomfortable, especially on a very long flight (and it seems that ATL to Sacrament will be about five hours in the air). My recommendation would be to go with buying three coach tickets all in the same row. Make sure an airline is used that will make advance seat reservations. Be sure NOT to get either a bulkhead or an exit row, as normally they don't have moveable armrests. Then he will be able to flip up the armrests and be comfortable. When you go to make the reservations, when you call the airline ask to be connected with their special services department and then explain the situation. Normally these are more experienced agents and can provide assistance.

In addition, the airline will provide wheelchair (or electric cart) service between the counter and the gate, as well as from the gate back t baggage claim. They do not charge for this service, but usually the people who push the chairs or drive the carts are not actual employees of the airline and generally should be tipped.

From what you described, he should be able to make it from the gate to his seat and back, so boarding and getting off the plane should not be any problem. I would suggest that he be sure to let the gate agent know that he needs priority boarding. However, if he is seen sitting in a wheelchair it should be automatic.

At suggestion is that once the plane is at cruising altitute, he get up and walk up and down the aisle for a small stretch on an occasional basis rather than just sitting for the five hours.

 

[Mimi Q]

Thank you for your reply!

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by Cheshire Figment

From what you described, he should be able to make it from the gate to his seat and back, so boarding and getting off the plane should not be any problem. I would suggest that he be sure to let the gate agent know that he needs priority boarding. However, if he is seen sitting in a wheelchair it should be automatic.

Very good hints from Bill.
I would also agree with letting them know you want to pre-board. It used to be automatic that if they saw a wheelchair, they preboarded. Someone had posted about a year ago that some of the airlines were not doing preboarding unless asked.
We've had variations with preboarding. Some times we are asked if we want to, sometimes we are not and once when we asked to, the gate agent forgot to call us (she said that she did not see DH - who had asked earlier about preboarding, so she didn't know who to contact. I would have thought the young lady sitting next to me in a purple wheelchair would have attracted her attention, but no).

another thing you might be interested in is gatechecking the wheelchair. That way, it can be used to get to the door of the plane. The wheelchair is then folded and put on the plane. It will be waiting when they get off. Ask about it when they check in.
Or, they can be met at the gate bya skycap with a wheelchair as Bill suggested.