Hi, ktate82. Thank you. Sorry, I took to long to write my previous post before seeing your post.
We have traveled SW several times with DMIL who has taken a standard wheelchair and later her scooter. Both times we let SW know beforehand, and then again at the ticket counter. They never inspected it at the ticket counter. After security, we went to the gate, and they inspected the scooter and put a gate check tag on it. She can walk short distances, so she would give the scooter to them about half an hour or so before we started boarding and walk onto the plane when it was time to board. They took it down in an elevator, and when we landed, we got a wheelchair to push her from the plane into the terminal. They brought her scooter up an elevator for her there. We have never noticed any damage to it, but we did make sure to fold the seat down and take the basket off (I always carry a bag that it fits into) so it doesn't get broken.
I am quite impressed btw at how small yours folds up.
I know right. When I left Orlando MCO Airport a couple of weeks ago, the Delta Airlines Baggage Check-in didn't ask for any information about my wheelchair like they do in Atlanta.
And entering TSA Pre-check x-ray station, the Orlando MCO Airport didn't visually check my small bag with a small set of flat tools that came with my wheelchair. They always pull me aside and check that small bag because it was made of metal. Go figure!
I think it is great the Southwest uses their elevator to take the mobility equipment down to be loaded on the plane. They won't do that with Delta Airlines all the time unless you ask them to. They pick up my wheelchair and walk it down the Gate's Jetway stairs next to the plane door entrance. The same place they take down the strollers.
Me, too. I have a backpack that I put on the back of my wheelchair that I disconnect my wheelchair's joystick and put it in that backpack where I store my C.P.A.P. machine, medication, laptop, etc. Other than that my electric wheelchair is one piece that folds up and I bought their luggage protective cover to cover it so that the Delta staff can lift it by the handles. I also leave the freewheel levers unlocked so they can freely roll the wheelchair by the strap.
Thank, I love my wheelchair.
I have been looking for years for a better mobility scooter and occasionally for a portable electric wheelchair to travel with.
Years ago, I just couldn't take my 10-year old mobility scooter apart and lift it and put it together again every time that I traveled. I was just getting too old to do that.
I know they are much lighter now.
But I didn't want to take one apart by myself again. I was over it.
They have been making foldable electric wheelchairs for many years, but I just wasn't happy until I saw this one.
The others had a lower weight capacity than I wanted.
What changed my mind was when I first saw this new company in Orlando that was owned and staffed all using their own wheelchairs.
The wheelchair is called a "FoldAndGoWheelchair.com".
It only weighed 55-pounds for their heavy-duty model that would carry about 365-pounds.
It could go up my steep hill on my street because the maximum degree ramp height is 25% and all the other wheelchair and even large mobility scooters are a maximum of 12%
It was made all of the tubular steel that is solid with no breakable plastic pieces like on other wheelchairs.
It folds up to 13-inches from front to back.
The two Lithium-Ion batteries are approved by FDA and Airlines to be stored under the plane or in the plane inside the closet without removing them from their protective metal covers. They actually built the batteries into the frame of the wheelchair.
The wheelchair joystick has a quick connect at the armrest instead of underneath the wheelchair. This makes it so easy to remove and reconnect at the airport.
The seat and back are made of mesh and washable and waterproof.
The whole wheelchair is waterproof.
The motors, seats, joystick, electronics, everything on the wheelchair is waterproof.
If any of you ever decide to buy one of these, could you please tell them that I recommended them to you. They might give me a 1% discount for future orders.