The Flying Circus 5 - Boarding the plane

This is how boarding works when you are traveling in your own wheelchair. Firstly, and most importantly, be at the gate early. Domestic or local flights usually start boarding 20 or 30 minutes before departure time. Long haul usually starts 45 minutes before departure time. Be at the gate ten minutes before boarding starts – at least. As soon as you reach the gate, talk to the personnel on the podium and tell them you need an aisle chair to get on board the plane, and any other assistance you may require. This is essential. It doesn’t matter if the check-in said it would be okay, or if it is written on your ticket. The only person who needs to know is the gate manager, and invariably they never do. I don’t know why. It helps if you can let them know at least 30 or 45 minutes in advance. The other thing you need from the gate agent is a “gate tag” for your wheelchair. This should ensure that you get it on arrival – doesn’t always happen.  

The guys with the aisle chair eventually turn up. Airlines like to board the wheelies first, but this is not always possible. If the plane is re-fueling, or if the ground guys are late, they will start boarding the walkies first. The important thing is to stay close to the gate and ask questions. Once they are ready to board you, you can take your own chair all the way down to the aircraft door. At that point, you transfer from your own chair to the aisle chair (sometimes called a “straight-back”). The aisle chair is a very narrow chair that fits down the aisle of the aircraft. If you need assistance you will need to direct operations and give very clear instructions about what you want to happen.  You kiss your wheelchair goodbye. Make sure there is nothing left on the chair that may fall off – side guards, cushion, back-pack etc. Take everything removable with you onto the aircraft. I just pull everything off and throw it in a heap on the ground and tell the guys that all of that needs to get on-board. At this point you are at the mercy of the handlers. You have no control over the aisle chair as they man handle you on-board. My experience has been that European airports do this really well, and US airports are terrible. It helps if you can make your own transfers. If not, ensure there are two people and that they are trained – ask them. IN the US the invariably are not trained and treat you like a piece of baggage. In Europe they are usually para-medics that know how to safely transfer you from the aisle chair to your seat and vice versa.

It would be really nice if airlines always assigned wheelies to a seat that was easy to get to – near the front, with an arm rest that went up. They don’t. You just have to kind of go with the flow and try to remember that your goal is to get  into a seat – any seat – safely.

Now, add some children into the mix. The good news is that, if the airline is properly organized, they will invite wheelies and their companions to board first. My wife and kids go on board ahead of me, giving them time to get settled and get all the bags organized while I’m transferring to the aisle chair and dismantling my wheelchair. Like going through security, it is better to act as two separate groups at this point. Otherwise, staff will stand back and expect your spouse to carry your bags – and they have enough on their plates with the kids’ paraphernalia. 

A notable exception to all this palaver is the domestic US airline Southwest Airlines. They fly Boeing 737s exclusively, and the particular configuration they use means that I can get to the first row of seats in my own chair (680mm/27.2" wide). You have to do a near 180 degree transfer to get onto the seat but if you can mange that then Southwest is by far the fastest and most efficient boarding system I know.