Pretty standard in my experience

FWIW depending on the jurisdiction, it's possible they can require you to deplane at some point. As with most things, it's best to be keenly aware of the specific rules where you happen to be/the policies of your specific airline etc.

Really appreciate this tip. I’m so sorry this happened! It’s terrible they just left you there. I’m glad you & your chair were finally reunited & you had a great trip in the end.

I went to high school to a vocational school. You do all during the first two years and then you choose what you prefer (hotel hostess, tourism in general, waitress, chef, pastry chef). One day the teachers of the practical classes came with a wheelchair and, taking tours, we had to sit in it and role play how to better help… They did it with the wheelchair, blindfolding and putting earplugs on so we would know how to behave.

I'd have called the police and told them he'd stolen it!

I have no words! Well actually I have many, but they're not very nice. How dare he!

Unfortunately this happened in Turkey so difficult to get in touch with driver. He wasn’t a usual tour bus driver and he was rather grumpy. My sister felt awful as she had seen him put it in bus. I think he took it back out to put someone’s luggage and forgot to put it back! It took them a couple of hours to get it to me! Had to sit in an uncomfortable airport chair.

Thank you for your comment. Wow the thing you said about your chair picking up chemicals must be so scary. It worries me sometimes. I totally agree with you, and know about all the issue you talk about. Travel with a disability sure isn’t easy!

I always call hotels to confirm the info on the website. Third party websites are a problem, but even booking directly through the hotel online will sometimes find you in a room you did not ask for. And what US airline is allowing folks to pay to board early? The ACAA (air carrier access act) says you go first, no matter what the airline says. I'd seriously have to request a CSO (conflict resolution officer) if I were put in that position

@@BirchLeafPhotography I can't remember specific names but there are airlines that do that. It has been more than a few years since I've flown, but I remember they started doing that. You had disabled people and mothers/mothers to be needing to get on the flight first, but they would be trapped at the end of a very long line of abled people who paid to get on early. This caused boarding to be three times as long because all the abled people got on first, then there were problems trying to get everyone else on.

With people paying extra to board early, it depends on the airline - e.g. on United, you can pay to get priority boarding, but disabled, families with children under 2, and active military still get to preboard (at no cost) before any of the people who paid for priority boarding are allowed to board. It might be that there's confusion about the terminology of "preboarding" vs. "priority boarding", which, at least on United, are two completely different things.

Yes. I never thought about taking a photo of my baggage and chair. Really good idea. I'm always traumatised if my chair isn't waiting for me

How sweet you are! I'm terrified of flying, but watching Gem makes it seem much easier. Taking the complications out of flying for people with disabilities is a great encouragement for us.

thank you for saying this!! i really don't get it either - they'd make a lot more money that way if they wouldn't have to keep getting sued/called out/losing money for breaking ppl's wheelchairs in baggage handling! plus, they could either make the gates accessible, or for smaller airports, use an elevator that rolls up to the plane much like the weird airplane stairs. i doubt it'd be hard. they design double decker airplanes, triple sometimes, even... so i don't get what's so complicated ab accessible ones...

I'm with you on that one - I find it really frustrating, too, though for me, it stems from the fact that my legs are just a bit too short for the airplane seats (half the time that I choose to take my chair somewhere, it's because I know that the chairs wherever I'm going are going to be too big for me and thus kill my joints if I sit in them for more than a couple minutes). The difficulty comes from the wheelchairs not having been crash tested, for lack of a better term - the seats on the plane have been tested to the extreme, so having everyone sit in a plane seat drastically decreases the liability. I know that at least some countries or some airlines are working on a solution (I don't know any particulars, only that some are), but it's a really tricky problem to solve. But I'm 100% with you - I think it should be an option, too.

@@SnowySpiritRuby Yeah, I just read about how the Qstraint system I use to take the bus and not go flying is apparently tested to be good to 20Gs! Which is incredible. That's well above airline standards, so I really hope we all get to wheel onto an airplane someday.

That was nerve-racking just watching that. @#%&!

At least in the US it's because wheelchair tie downs haven't met crash safety standards. They are private organizations that claim to have gotten acceptable results with private testing, but without official testing, things are pretty much stuck. Both the department of transportation and the FAA have said they would consider revising the regulations if/when that happens.

Ugh, Toronto! I fly back and forth between BC and NL and I prefer WestJet over AirCanada because I can use the smaller Abbottsford airport on the BC side. The downside is that WestJet has a cluster of 6 arrival gates at Toronto that are on the other side of a 20-minute tunnel from the rest of the domestic gates, and my connections that end up having us deplane there never also have us departing from there.

It was even worse on the way back….😞

it's so frustrating how much of airlines' behaviour with disabled folks are a nightmare. it's also just... really humiliating to have to wait for an aisle chair if the plane even _has_ one on board - the aisle chair itself is more dignified than being carried for certain, but it still lacks the dignity of being able to get to the toilet yourself particularly bc its not a self-propelled wheelchair - due to its design, it must be pushed by other people. think about it - most (abled) folks, particularly adults, don't have to ask anyone in order to go to the bathroom on an airplane. if you can't move without a wheelchair - you've got to ring for the flight attendant in front of everyone. and then ask for the aisle chair. and then get pushed along in front of everyone straight to the bathroom, while everyone stares. the unfortunate other edge of the sword of inaccessibility is that often, able bodied ppl aren't used to seeing disabled folks in environments like airplanes, etc... so they tend to stare more than usual, bc it's more of a spectacle/surprising to them that you're there. this is mostly why the aisle chair sucks. aisle chairs and being left places to wait on your own are sort of the more standard, _normal_ airplane awfulness for wheelchair users. the other one that shouldn't be normal at all, but is _normalized_, is the part where baggage handlers somehow manage to brutally destroy wheelchairs in between the two destinations, and there's often no way to prior insure the wheelchair or hold the airline accountable that's been universalized or is easily accessed by disabled travellers. airlines rarely pay for replacements for mobility aids, or at least, not in a timely fashion. they tend to like to argue about who's job it is to pay for the new one first, for as long as possible. i rarely fly places bc of how airlines are and bc tickets expensive - but the times i have, i feel like the treatment i typically receive in airports is more appropriate for an annoyingly large suitcase, rather than a person with feelings and needs - at least until i'm physically on the plane.

@@nobodyimportant1968 Sorry you've had that experience. Other than redesigning planes to be able to accommodate wheelchairs, the best thing that airlines could do is ensure that all of their staff have had proper training and overall just treat disabled people like human beings with feelings. It's just basic decency, especially in a customer-facing role.

@@hannahk1306 1000%! the experience should definitely be made as bearable as possible for everyone involved until ppl finally realize it's much more profitable to design aircraft that allow wheelchair users to travel-in-place w/ mobility aids.

I've been an ambulatory wheelchair user for almost 5 years and all 8 trips I've flown in that time have been solo. I booked wheelchair assistance for the first 4 (I got a SmartDrive right after the 4th trip, so I no longer need assistance). I don't know how the rules differ from one country to the next because I haven't flown internationally since I started using one, but, at least here in the U.S., the times I've needed wheelchair assistance for getting through the airport, I never had an issue with booking it through the airline when I made my reservation (to give a little perspective to just how easy it was to book it, I can walk distances on uneven surfaces perfectly fine without any help or mobility aids, but I can't on smooth ones (including through airports) without significant help, hence the need for the chair, so a very ambulatory w/c user, yet I still had zero issues booking assistance). Some airlines offer the option to book assistance as part of the reservation process, others you have to call to request it. I will also note that I always travel carryon-only with a regular size backpack and an either 16.5" or 19" suitcase. Because I could always get myself from the car to the check-in desk without help (either wheeling in my chair or using it as a walker, depending on how much of a rush I was in), I checked in online and printed my boarding passes the night before, then, when I got to the airport, I also checked in at the actual desk (not a kiosk, if the airport has them) to confirm that my assistance request did in fact make it onto my reservation (their computer systems can go wonky sometimes, so I needed to make sure it got onto it on their end, even though it always showed up on it on my end) - sometimes it had, sometimes it hadn't. Don't know how it works in other countries, but TSA is the security we have here in the U.S., and what to expect for those of us who use mobility aids is spelled out very clearly on this page of their website: www(dot)tsa(dot)gov/travel/special-procedures (I'd copy-paste the actual link, but then youtube would block my comment), and select "Mobility Disabilities, Aids & Devices" in the dropdown menu. Here in the U.S. (again, I don't know other countries' rules), the wheelchair assistance people aren't obligated to stay with us while we wait at the gate, so here we have to be prepared to be on our own once we get to the gate, so we'll need to plan for how we're going to manage our luggage on our own, as well as taking care of anything we want or need to do (e.g. shopping, getting food, using the restroom, etc.). When boarding, if you'll need assistance at the next airport, ask the flight attendant to call ahead to let them know you need someone to meet you at the gate when you land. Are you thinking to bring your own chair or just use the airport ones? I've always flown with my personal chair, but if the airport is the only place you'll need a chair (or if you'll be renting a mobility device at your destination to use during the trip itself), you'll most likely (again, don't know what or how rules differ between countries) be able to just use an airport wheelchair, which does take a lot of stress off because you don't have to worry about baggage handlers damaging your expensive chair. I can't really give advice on which airlines to avoid because I've only flown United since I started using a chair, but I've found that, on the whole, in my own personal experience, they've been great - zero damage to my chair on the first 6 trips, and even though I was given a long runaround when one of my brakes broke because United wasn't the operator, even though it was a United plane and crew, the second time it happened, the crew had notified the appropriate people before I even got off the plane, so someone was already on the way to help me get it taken care of before I even found out that the brake was broken, and everything was completely taken care of by the end of that day (good thing, too, because that trip was only 5 days long, and I had to have the replacement brake installed before I flew home no matter what, which the manufacturer had to mail me). Other people have said that they had a terrible experience with United, so I think it really depends on the individual passenger, the individual crews (ground and flight), and the individual gate agents, and less on the airline itself. I've heard good things about JetBlue, Southwest, and whichever airline it was that Gem flew when she went to the Rollettes dance experience (I think it was 2019, but might have been 2018). Hope that helps a bit. I'd be happy to discuss it more, but it's past midnight where I am and I'm out of energy, so that's all I can type at the moment. My reply above (comments sorted by newest) to Lu Yue has some additional info that I don't have the energy to type out again here, so I suggest checking that one out, too.

@@SnowySpiritRuby ~ very helpful snowy, thanks!♿

@@bonniemoerdyk9809You're welcome!

Oh I was soooo nervous!!! 😭

Oh goodness. Did you have to wait long?

That truly sucks. I'd make sure they got a lot of bad publicity as well as a complaint

@@TheMazinoz it really sucks how airlines really only care about ableism when someone calls them out online and gains traction, huh? oof.

Big Tip: I use a ROHO. Do not let go of your cushion until the last passenger is seated. Reason: people have been known to place things ontop of cushions. Also...let all of the air out if you are not using it.

Research. Research. Research. I’ve travelled solo internationally maybe something like 20 times & never had a serious issue. But you HAVE to know what you’re getting in to. Knowledge is power. The more you do it, the easier it becomes & things that seem daunting now will become second nature. Overall - just do it! 🌍

Hi how are you

Gem, please pin your comment so that everyone can find it easily.

🙌🏽

I think when they were first popular in the 80’s didn’t people used to wear them behind??

@@Wheelsnoheels I think so. Pocketpicks loved it!

They were originally designed for skiers who needed a lightweight bag that didn't get in the way of their movements. I can't remember who told me that many years ago but it seems to make sense to me

-I've clipped the top handle of mine to my backpack straps (regular non-wheelchair backpack hanging on the back of my chair), which required wide turns (all my suitcases are 2-wheel), and now I have luggage forks on the front of my current chair, so I set my suitcase on those and use a luggage strap to secure it to the front of the frame so it doesn't fall off (I got luggage forks on my chair for this exact reason); I've found that to be the way that works best for me, because it balances out my heavy personal item backpack that's on the back of my chair, and keeps the chair from flipping backwards when I need to get out of it if my backpack is still on the back, which also keeps my backpack clean. -Another method that MadetobeLindseyB shows in her video about flying with a wheelchair is, if the suitcase has 4 spinner wheels, to strap it to the front of your chair, either to one side if the strap is short (attach the suitcase side handle to the front of the frame), or both sides with a longer strap if it will work with where your feet sit on your footrest, which could, theoretically, potentially work with a 2-wheel suitcase as well if you do it right (watch the video to see how she does it with hers). -I've also, back when I had a folding frame chair, set my suitcase on my footrests and used carabiners and some paracord to secure it so it wouldn't fall (my luggage strap was too short to use with those chairs). I will mention that I always travel carryon only and always solo, but also don't travel with enough medical equipment to warrant needing an extra bag for it, so I don't have anyone else to help me (sometimes the flight attendants or other passengers have offered to help and I accept, but I never count on it). -Another option would be, if it's small enough, to set the suitcase on your lap, but I personally find that annoying after a few minutes (not to mention it makes me overheat). -When I was using a folding frame chair, I did utilize the airline's wheelchair assistance, but that was only because I couldn't wheel myself with all my luggage through the airport (I have a SmartDrive now, so that's no longer an issue). I don't know if this is universal for all airlines, or only for some of them, or only in certain countries or at certain airports, but there's a chance that you could request wheelchair assistance and instead of pushing your chair, the assistance person can pull your suitcase (here in the U.S., the assistance people work for the airline, but I don't know whether that's the case everywhere or not, so the rules might differ from one airline to the next, or one country to the next, or even one airport to the next - I just don't know; it might differ from one airline to the next here, too, but that's less likely because of the Air Carrier Access Act that's federal law here that governs all flights into, out of, and within the U.S., regardless of which airline it is); do note, though, that, generally, the assistance people will only be there from point A to point B (e.g. check-in desk to departure gate, arrival gate to departure gate on a layover, arrival gate to curb, etc.; i.e. they don't wait with you once you're at your gate, at least they don't here in the U.S. - I haven't flown internationally with my chair yet, only domestic flights, so I don't have experience with any other countries' rules on that) and once they get you there, they leave so that they can go help other people, so if you need or want to do anything in the in between time (e.g. get something to eat after you check in at your departure gate), you might be on your own, so something to keep in mind if booking assistance (you can call the airline or airport and ask how their wheelchair assistance works to find out all the particulars) and deciding how to attach your suitcase to your chair. A quick tip if you do decide to use wheelchair assistance - request assistance when you book (or however the airline does it - some you have to call, others list the option to request it in the booking process itself); make sure the request is on your reservation (either calling a day or two ahead if you need someone to meet you curbside to either request or confirm (depending on how the airline does it), or checking in at the actual airline desk - allow any extra time that might be needed if doing the latter) because their computer systems can get messed up, so even if it shows up as being on the reservation when you look it up, it doesn't mean it actually got on there; if you'll need assistance at any subsequent airports, when you board, ask the flight attendant to call ahead to the next airport to let them know you need someone to meet you at the gate when you arrive. Hope that gives you some ideas, but, obviously, not all chairs, suitcases, or wheelchair users are the same, so do what works for you, your chair, and your suitcase.

@@SnowySpiritRuby Thank you very much for the detailed reply! I’ll definitely try it out.

@@PrismYuuzuki You're welcome. It was quite the learning curve for me, so if I can shorten it for anyone else by sharing my experiences, I'm more than happy to do so.

Ahh thank you