whichever airlines you have chosen contact their special service department is the first step. Ask for the bulkhead seats or in other words the very first row of coach and depending upon the airplane one side should have three seats which is best for having room to transfer! I have flown five times and have learned something every single time! The ventilator part is going to be the tricky one because you are transferred from your chair to what is called an aisle chair which is only about 18 inches wide before you get on the plane. Also ask their maximum dimensions for their cargo whole my wheelchair even after being broken down has to go in on its side. Now for you and them not to lose legrests armrests or even a headrest if you would go to a place like U-Haul or a good home improvement store they sell an industrial Saran wrap for shipping items. It's about 20 inch long roll with handles on it you put all of the loose wheelchair parts where the cushion was removed where you sit. Going around the chair with that wrap to hold everything in and make sure to indicate which side of the chair it can be laid on its side which I learned this last time. I use my chair cushion from my chair in the airline seat and that also save $25 instead of checking luggage in at the ticket counter high just wrapped it up with my wheelchair. Also you will need to show them how to put the chair in manual mode so they can push it without killing themselves. Have your local wheelchair shop inspect your chair to make sure everything is in good shape and also you have gel cell batteries or the wheelchair cannot fly by federal regulation! Before they transfer you and after you wrap it up you may need these later on to prove to them of any damage while the chair is in their care. You also need to locate a local wheelchair repair shop where you are going as backup, after reaching my destination my wheelchair would not power up after countless calls on my part and on their side we finally found somebody 90 minutes later. The airlines had to transport me across the town and only took over five hours since my landing to finally get me up and running! They had to pay everything and gave me free tickets to fly again within one year. Any other particular questions feel free to ask. Monty of Indiana 3c/4c almost 17 years post injury
________________________________ From: Cullen <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Fri, September 3, 2010 12:25:05 PM Subject: [QUAD-L] flying back east I have a c500 permobil and am on a vent. We have to fly back east. I have never flown with this chair or this vent, what can I expect from the airline and what should I be doing to prepare. Cullen C3
