I have traveled many times through Chicago O'Hare and contacting special needs services for that particular airlines is your first step. My experience has been only with American Airlines and a wide variety of end results! When you book your ticket it should have a place to indicate that you are disabled and answered a few questions. Usually the airlines call me about a week before my trip and will not accept my call before that time. Getting to the airport as early as possible and no less than two hours before your flight. I have had transportation issues in the past but luckily never miss a flight. They will board you first and this is very important lesson at this point! I have a large gym bag full of a week of clothing and necessary medical supplies. Normally this bag would be a check-in but to save yourself the baggage fee this is what you do. Depending upon how busy they are I either have them transfer me to the aisle chair or a manual chair if the other ones not available for some reason. Removing the seat cushion placement to the side and I put it in my seat once I board the aircraft. Removing the leg rest, head rest and the one arm rest that does not have my control panel on it. Placing these items were the seat cushion was and placing the gym bag on top of those to hold everything in place and to give some extra protection for the chair. Now taking two ratchet straps in a crisscross pattern down to my tiedown points on my chair or your lowest part of the mainframe. I have some some commercial grade saran wrap to wrap up the chair allowing it to still manually be pushed. You can also buy this saran wrap at your local home improvement store or somewhere that has moving supplies. I got mine from work many years ago and still using my original roll. Instructing the baggage handlers how to disengage your motors and telling them which side is best to lay down on because it will not fit otherwise in the cargo hold of any domestic airliner. Have your cell phone ready to take some photos of your chair before the flight and after it's all bundled up. I've had to file a few damage claims with them over broken items found on the chair upon arrival. Any other questions or concerns feel free to ask. Also get an estimate on the approximate weight of your chair they also want to know this. Take care and enjoy your trip
On Saturday, October 26, 2013 12:52 PM, Don Smith <[email protected]> wrote: If you have a reclining chair or one that the back can be layed down\back make sure you take any pins that have to be removed out and keep them with you, small things tend to get lost when you least want them to. Don ________________________________ From: Lissette Whitehead <[email protected]> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, October 25, 2013 5:09 PM Subject: [QUAD-L] 1st Time Traveling Hi everyone, I will be traveling for the first time as a quad in the end of November, (after 8 years post injury). And to make it even more exciting, I'm going to Cabo San Lucas. I know!!! Pretty brave huh? Well not really because I live in Mexico and I'm used to the inaccessibility. Of course I already know my way around here where I live. Cabo is pretty much new to me, even though I've been there before but not in a power wheelchair. I have my concerns but I think I'll be able to manage. What I am wondering right now is about the flying situation. I know they have those special isle wheelchairs and that the staff at the airport help you transfer and all that. But what about my power chair? I know they put it with the luggage, but do they need to disassemble it? I sent a message to the airline but I know they take a while to reply and I'm a bit anxious. Any other traveling tips would be very much appreciated. Lissette Whitehead www.lwgripgloves.com ________________________________
