Flying with a manual chair & funny story

[Tiiiigergirl]

I am on the home stretch with getting my very own manual wheelchair. I have a couple of questions about flying with it, like when do you check it and any tips on making sure that they treat it with respect. I've heard tips like bring a small repair kit with you but now that you can no longer travel with anything that can be used as a weapon, this will be a bit more difficult.

Also a funny story:
When I was going through security a couple of weeks ago in Orlando I was of course patted down since I was in an airport wheelchair. I received a very thorough pat down including my posterior. In fact she almost did a cavity search thru the vinyl in the chair. Then to top it off she was training someone so she grabbed the hand of her assistant and said, "See, if she was hiding something down there you could feel it." I got goosed pretty good 3x. Security has definitely tightened!

 

[SueM in MN]

Funny story!
Congratulations on getting your own wheels!
We haven't traveled since Sept. 11, but we are old pros with travel with a manual wheelchair.
We do travel with a basic repair kit, including appropriate sizes of screwdrivers, Allen wrenches, extra screws, etc. We will probably pack it in our checked bags next time we travel. If you don't have one and need something, WDW resorts or the parks would help you find what you need. Also, it would be a good idea to have the phone number of a local medical equipment shop:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html

My next hint is for before you leave home. Check every screw and bolt to make sure they are tight. Some of them loosen with the vibrations of the plane, so check again after you get to your destination.
If you have a small wheelchair and the plane has a full length closet, you might be able to get it inside the plane instead of in the baggage. You will often have an uncooperative first class flight attendant (IMHO) because you will be using the "first class closet". If you want your wheelchair in there, you have a right to see if it will fit. We have not had any luck with DD's wheelchair fitting in the closet for severl years.
You can gate check your wheelchair, which means you can use it until the door of the plane. You get a gate check tag either when you check in or from the gate agent (depending on the airport and airline). If you got one at check in, make sure the gate agent knows you have it and need to preboard. The tag may just say the wheelchair will be delivered to the gate, or it may give you choices (gate or baggage claim at the final destination or at a connecting flight city). Make sure it is marked for where you want to get it.
When you do check the wheelchair, they prefer it folded so it is smaller and easier to handle for them. We take off anything that is not securely fastened (like DD's seat, which is fastened with velcro) and bring it on the plane with us. We sometimes remove her footrests and the back of her wheelchair too. We have a large bag (like a laundry bag) that we put her wheelchair parts in to get them on the plane. Then fasten the seatbelt and anything that might catch, like footstraps. If you do things like folding it, fastening the belts to make their job easier, the baggage people are more likely to treat your chair with respect.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

Thank you Sue. Luckily my husband is pretty mechanically inclined.

 

[SueM in MN]

You're welcome.
Hope you have a great time (and don't need much wheelchair repair from the mechanically inclined husband).