Flying with a Wheelchair: How to Help Protect Your Mobility Equipment

Typically for travelers, the flight to get to where you’re going is the least favorite part of any journey.  However, for people that have limited or no mobility and are flying with mobility equipment, it can be a nightmare. 

Those nasty (but realistic) thoughts of “will they break my mobility devices”, “what if there is an emergency evacuation”, “what if I need to use the restroom” start to creep in.  Sometimes, these thoughts even prevent people who want to travel from flying.  In this guide, flying with a wheelchair: how to help protect your mobility equipment, I’ll provide some tips to help with your journey.

In fact, according to disabilityhorizons.com, which surveyed 71 people from the UK, found that half of the people they surveyed hadn’t flown in the last 5 years due to it being too much of a hassle.  Unfortunately, this issue isn’t limited to those from other countries.  While in the United States, we have the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it doesn’t apply to flights. 

For some people with neuromuscular conditions, sitting in an airplane seat can be very uncomfortable as they may lack the strength to hold themselves up in a seat.  There are no harnesses or seat belts on a plane that can assist them with this.  In addition, if (God forbid) there’s an emergency on the plane that requires evacuation, there is no protocol or equipment to assist a person with mobility issues to safely evacuate.  Actually, most airlines have a policy that if you cannot evacuate yourself, you need to travel with someone who can assist you.  This limits someone’s ability to travel independently.  

There is, however, a nonprofit company that is trying to help change all of this and make airline travel for wheelchair users easier, and more importantly, safer.  That company is called All Wheels Up.  Their mission is to pass legislation to allow wheelchair users to stay in their own wheelchairs during the flight by providing wheelchair spaces on planes. I mean, there are wheelchair spaces on buses, trains, and adapted vehicles, why not planes?  

All Wheels Up is even working with the FDA to fund “test crashes” to make these wheelchair spaces on planes safe in the event of a crash. In the meantime, they are providing harnesses and slings to help make air travel for wheelchair users more comfortable and safer.  

To learn more about their organization and how you can help them advocate for safer airline practices, go to www.allwheelsup.org. 

Another recent small victory in airline travel is that advocates for disabled travel have been successful in passing legislation that requires airlines to report damaged and mishandled wheelchairs/scooters.  This allows people to have transparency in how specific airlines are doing in handling mobility equipment.  There is also hope that it will help to hold airlines more accountable for their practices.  

This information can be found on https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/air-travel-consumer-reports. 

Despite this new requirement, there are still far too many damaged or mishandled wheelchairs.  Additionally, these numbers may not account for the actual number of damaged mobility equipment, just what gets reported.  Although airlines are required to provide interim equipment while the mobility device is repaired, often this does not fit the individual’s needs as it is not adapted specifically to them.  This takes away their ability to be independent and may impact their travel plans. 

Flying with a Wheelchair: What Can You Do to Protect Your Wheelchair? 

If you are like me and don’t want these issues to keep you from traveling, there are a couple of things that you can do: 

1. Advocate for Yourself

Help to be an advocate for yourself and others by supporting organizations that are trying to make positive changes (i.e. All Wheels Up). 

2. Know Your Rights

If something does get damaged on your mobility device, please file a complaint as soon as possible. 

3. Arrive to the Airport Early

Arrive early at the airport to allow yourself plenty of time at check-in, TSA, and to speak with the gate agent about gate checking your mobility device. 

4. Provide Care Instructions

Provide verbal and written instructions on the proper care of your equipment. 

5. Choose the Right Flight

Consider the size of the plane you will be flying on and whether there may be an accessible bathroom.  Also decide which airline is best for you by looking at customer service, layovers, etc.  

6. Notify the Airline in Advance

Notify the airline in advance if you will require an aisle wheelchair aboard the flight, will need someone to escort you to the gate, and/or are traveling with any special equipment. Special equipment can include mobility devices or in my case a ventilator. I also make sure to let the accessibility department at the airline know that I will need to use my ventilator during all phases of the flight.

Each airline may have different requirements for traveling with such a device and they can let you know what these are when you speak with them. I usually notify the accessibility department after I make the booking (so I can get a seat with a movable armrest for easy transferring, and know any documentation I may need to provide for my ventilator). I recommend calling no later than two weeks before your flight. 

7. Bring Spare Parts

If possible, bring spare parts, especially if they are unique. 

8. Remove Easily Damaged Wheelchair Parts

Securely stow joysticks and other parts that may stick out and be more prone to break.  If possible, remove them and bring them on board with you. 

9. Take Photos

Take pictures of your equipment before gate checking it so you have proof of any damage that may occur. 

10. Review Airline Policies

Review the airline’s policy on how they will handle damaged mobility equipment. Some companies have limits on the cost of damage that they will cover, and some may not cover damages at all.

11. Always Gate Check Your Wheelchair or Scooter

Gate check your equipment. When checking in with the airline, you will have the option to check your mobility devices/aids along with any luggage that you will be checking. Whenever possible, choose to gate check your mobility devices.

This will mean that there is less handling of your equipment by strangers and decrease the chances of it getting damaged. The gate agent will tag your equipment and staff will take it from the gate to the cargo hold of the plane. Upon arriving at your destination, your device will be returned to you. There is no guarantee that your device will be safe, but it increases the chances of having a better experience.

Final Thoughts on Flying with a Wheelchair

Unfortunately, there is still a lot of room to grow in making airplane travel safe and accessible to everyone and there is no guarantee that your equipment won’t get damaged no matter what precautions you choose to take. Ultimately, it is up to you whether you want to take the risk, but I hope that my guide to flying with a wheelchair: how to help protect your mobility equipment gives you some usable tips to help you have a smoother flight.

Ready to give flying a try? Make sure to read my post on Tips for Finding Cheap Flights Anywhere!