The Don'ts of Air Travel for Wheelchair Users

[@tessakayleen]

As a disabled person who travels often, I’m really glad you decided to bring this up on your channel. I have Spina Bifida and use a wheelchair too which definitely requires a little extra planning, and specifically being in flight can be quite a task in itself due to the lack of accessibility. Thank you for sharing a wheelchair-users perspective.

[@woltersworld]

I'm glad we could do it. Thank you.

[@dajaviews9136]

I'm a flight attendant. The average wash room is small but on some of the bigger airplanes we can remove a wall to make it accessible. Don't be shy to ask us.

[@dajaviews9136]

Also, you can book assistance when you buy the ticket if you are travelling a lone. Ground staff can take you to the aircraft and there will be someone on the other side too. (keep in mind it won't be the fastest way to get done).

[@woltersworld]

Thank you so much for the heads up. It is much appreciated.

[@psleep4255]

As a disabled person who travels with my disabled mother; Amen to all. I think the most important thing is to be assertive about your needs, be flexible but stick to your guns. When I first started traveling with my mom I was embarrassed to stick to my guns about our needs. After being physically pulled AWAY from my mom and told I couldn’t board with her (she has dementia and is physically disabled) I don’t back down. Not in an aggressive way but in an assertive manner. TY TY TY for covering this!!! You could do an entire segment on traveling tips for disabled individuals. Everything I learned was the hard way with a lot of upset and tears. After 10 years I’m a pro but every once and a while I encounter a problem we’ve never dealt with. Fortunately most people are kind and patient. Ty again. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻❤️❤️❤️

[@wldflwr77]

Thank you so much for this! I travel in a wheelchair and it's definitely different. I would say, absolutely check in at the counter, and get a tag for your chair. They always ask at the gate if you're capable of getting to your seat from the plane door. If you can, they will usually store the wheelchair in the hold and it will be waiting at the plane door when you step out. You can request FREE service, with their wheelchairs and a staff member to push you to where you need to go, but a tip is a nice way to say thank you. The Global Entry program costs $100 for 5 years (last I checked) and gets you through security and customs much more easily. Don't bother to use the kiosk for customs. It wants to take your picture but it's too high for someone sitting in a wheelchair. You will inevitably be asked to get in line anyway.

[@jenniferbenzie6594]

Thanks for this vid Mark, my husband has MS but isn't in a wheelchair yet, he struggles to get around but its so nice to see on the video at 58-1:09 it IS possible for people with limited mobility

[@fishyface3940]

Great thing to cover on the channel!

[@woltersworld]

Thank you

[@ahmd5]

I traveled few times with my mother who use a wheelchair, just because she is a senior person with leg and back pain and weaknesses so she can't walk more than 50 meters. we always contact the airline beforehand and they would provide a wheelchair and a staff from the check in desk all the way to baggage collection and taxi/car rental point at arrival terminal. The wheel chair and staff service is free, a tip is appreciated. This is a standard procedure and provided by all international airports. We put our wheelchair with the lagguage

[@woltersworld]

Thank you for the extra information. Super awesome if you.

[@ahmd5]

@@woltersworld Also he'll get to skip the passport line on both terminals. Typically the staff will take my mother and only one family member.

[@anthonykoeslag]

Thanks for doing this! Wow, so often our needs are not covered by travel YT channels. This is really helpful

[@Potomacstud]

This is so helpful not only for folks with disabiilities but everyone who is agin or injured that needs to travel in a wheelchair

[@lincolnmicahfox]

Hi Mark (John from Melbourne) some more "do'es" Joe, take some basic repair tools for the chair and know how to fix it, I needed some on-the-go repairs in Liverpool, also bike shops are often helpful. Going long periods without fluids for me is not a good plan, I request a seat close to the toilets on long haul flights and carry a small toilet bag in carry on. Do research prior to leaving on how accessible the place your going to is, the sidewalks, gutters, access into buildings, the hotel room etc help may not always be available, be adaptable, plans have to change, sometimes on the day!

[@woltersworld]

Thabk you John. I love all the extra comments to help other travelers. You rock. Cheers!

[@LetswalkaroundGothenburg3]

That's really nice! This is fantastic! Great share!🤩🤩🤩 Thanks my dear friend

[@etherdog]

Thank you, Joe, for sharing your tips. It would also be good to know your do and don'ts when a non-wheel chair bound person meets someone who is, and how to navigate that space respectfully. We have got to look out for each other, now more than ever.

[@keeptrying5962]

Really good video for all of us, in different ways. This guy is great. Thanks for this.

[@woltersworld]

Thank you

[@kimm3473]

This is awesome! Thanks for being inclusive!

[@woltersworld]

I'm glad we can

[@AC-ff9if]

Thank you so much for this!

[@woltersworld]

Thank you Anne

[@evelyngrammar]

Great tips; however, I would never pack a camera in a checked bag.

[@bethfoley84]

It depends on the camera. I wouldn’t pack a digital SLR camera and lenses, but I probably would tuck a point-and-shoot in between protective layers of clothes. Those are so compact that they could easily fit in the pocket of a pair of jeans.

[@creightonrochlin9341]

U can do TSA precheck to get past the security lines as well which helps

[@frednich9603]

What a great topic! Never thought about any of that before, but I feel educated.

[@woltersworld]

Joe did an awesome job

[@albertoamador9807]

As a former Arline gate representative i couldn't agree more with the part of voincing all of your concerns.

[@mortpes]

Thank you. I have used a walker over the last two years and now must use a wheel chair. Any tips are appreciated.

[@adriannaconnor6471]

Just so people know, larger airplanes (76 seats and bigger) may have a wheelchair you can use while inside the plane. It is meant to fit down the aisle. I don't know how you would go about using the toilet, but you would be able to get from your seat to the bathroom.

[@man0r85]

I would recommend to take your wheelchair with you inside the plane if possible. specially if you have a layover. if not possible ask to get your wheelchair at the plane door before leaving it

[@50shadesofShay.]

Thank you

[@wavetranquility4243]

I’d love to see more collabs with you guys and Joe- I happen to be not disabled but the info was great. I saw the Instagram link. Does Joe have a KZbin?

[@leekshikapinnamneni4835]

Hi there Joe! Thanks for the video. I happen to be blind and a cane user but still was fascinated with your advice. I can also happens to be collapsible so it can be stored just about anywhere and I think that the main concern perhaps for me would be to maybe travel with an escort or to find out about accommodations as well. What would someone do if they were a wheelchair user but the flight happens to be a long haul flight? Most of the advice you gave still applies but the advice about the restroom is not going to work in that case. It’s very easy to get dehydrated in the plane so I’m not going to the restroom for a two or three hour flight is definitely feasible but if you fly overseas it’s not so much. You can’t go on a 14 hour flight without using the restroom it’s just not healthy and it’s not feasible. I’m curious if for instance access to the business class restroom is a reasonable accommodation that can be requested for instants. Thanks for the fascinating and useful advice

[@grantrennie]

I was boarding a flight about 18 months ago and there was a guy in a wheelchair with a giant grey great dane dog, the airport staff had one of those multi wheel stair bump climber wheelchairs and went to transfer the man over, he said "leave me the dog will do it" and he slid himself onto the ground, he had a special waistcoat on with a strap on the back of it, the dog grabbed the back strap, dragged him up the stairs backwards and along the isle until he said stop, he pulled himself up into the seat and the dog went straight down to the front left hand side beside the front door, lay down in front of the cabin crew seats and stayed there the whole flight without moving, there was a loading lifter at the other side (the scissor lifters they use to load the food trolleys) and he got off onto that with the dog at the other side..

[@woltersworld]

That is awesome.

[@barrybambmessagedeletedbyy7467]

How do you handle the long flight restroom breaks? I have to assist my mother in law onto the toilet, and there's no way we can fit in the bathroom. Just rely on adult diapers?

[@socalgal714]

@Cheezus Sliced not everyone requires a cath. 🤦‍♀️ Dr wont approve if not medically necessary.

[@dajaviews9136]

Ask the flight attendant to use the accessible restroom. We can remove a wall to extend the circumference of the restroom. Not sure if all airlines have it but the major ones definitely will, especially anything long haul.

[@barrybambmessagedeletedbyy7467]

@@dajaviews9136 did not know, thank you.

[@kellyl.3059]

What is the best way to pack bathroom medical supplies so it is easy enough to carry on your own as a manual wheelchair user?

[@iameve77]

Great topic.

[@lingdatang669]

> dont bring more bags than you can lug , 1 check with rollers , 1 carry > essentials in carryon > check in at a person , not a kiosk > get a destination tag for your wheelchair > do not drink anything for 3 hours before the flight

[@samuellatter2984]

I live in Kent. Southeast Kent. I'm autistic with Asperger's syndrome. Now I don't actually live in a wheelchair, but I was wondering if this company either could accommodate for people like me, who are more able but still have mild needs on the disability spectrum, or... do they know of anywhere where I'd be better off asking? How would I contact them? Gmail? Email? I'm only asking how to contact anyone because sometimes these companies I've Emailed don't seem to reply a lot. I was wondering if anyone could either help or just provide advice.

[@MikSonus]

Hi, you can get assistance and help on a flight if you have a disability, physical or mental. When you book your flight, call the airline and discuss with them your needs. You will just need to have a doctors letter or medical proof stating your disability. Safe and stress free flying. 🫶

[@LincolnintheAdirondacks]

Hey Mark, the link to his instagram is showing as page not found

[@woltersworld]

Thanks Lincoln. I will fix that.

[@woltersworld]

Should be OK now. Thanks Lincoln!

[@georgefoord7240]

Great contributor

[@woltersworld]

Joe is pretty awesome

[@socalgal714]

Dont go to Disneyland in Anaheim. The sidewalks are textured & miserable to roll over in a chair. We spent $220 to get in, I & my chair were searched (& it wasnt a gentle pat down) then, after just 15 min in the park I was in such pain we had to leave. All we saw was the entrance & the offices when we attempted to get our money back. That trip was almost $3000.00 for 48 hours of hell.

[@woltersworld]

That is horrible. I'm so sorry to hear that.

[@jimpikul8551]

Also, Disney in Paris was a monster. Pitched floors all over made pushing a chair difficult. The chair was wanting to follow the curve and always pointed in wrong direction.

[@wouterdeprest7470]

Regarding medecation, chech for each country that you are going to that your medecation is allowed in that country. Best is a docters note. We found out the hard way. Great video

[@kimberly8858]

I will wear 2 disposables underwear. Adult pampers sometime with a long pad for leaks just in case I can’t get to bathroom in-time with 2 I can tear one off at seems without pulling clothes off and with a pad it may get wet a disposable my not just pull it off and put on another some people don’t like to wear them I rather be safe than sorry and not be wet

[@JohnnieWalkerGreen]

Do you tip the ones who push the chair?

[@barrybambmessagedeletedbyy7467]

Always a good idea.

[@QWERTYOP80]

😂 American tipping culture, man.

[@wldflwr77]

I've traveled a fair amount with a wheelchair, alone and with others. A tip is not required, nor requested, but is always a nice way to say thank you.

[@khanoms.4576]

This is actually very important and different. You don't see too many tips like this on here surprisingly, and the other day I even saw a woman asking for tips for people with sight problems.

[@sueclark5763]

I had to fly a while back and did a search of the airline site, they had most information I needed. Surprisingly, even cruises, liners and also trains have all the info you likely need and you can email them if your questions weren't answered. I'm not usually a fan of United, but that's the one I had to go on and even with a fairly full flight, the staff onboard were very nice about helping me when I needed it.

[@mattkeating9103]

Don’t try to get up and walk!

[@caroline_catbridges_kitty5384]

You can also check in online in advance

[@readisgooddewaterkant7890]

Finally

[@emisalmontsalinas3767]

Hey, can you talk about traveling being an elderly 👴🏻