Can anyone help with some travel advice?

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Disability and Social Isolation.

Margi

Can anyone help with some travel advice.........I am wheelchair bound and do not walk and would like  to fly to South Africa next year.............any tips or advice will be wlcome .......Gerville a great post......been there

loopyt

Hi Margi, when you book your flights or full holiday you can request special assistance. If you are booking the flight yourself there is usually a box to tick which then reveals a list of options (you can tick a box stating you are taking your wheelchair and that you need a lift onto the aircraft). If you are using a travel agent they can do this for you. I have never been out of Europe so I am not sure what the service is in South Africa but I am sure someone will reply with their experience. I would advise paying extra so you can choose where you sit on the flight as the airlines do not always put you in the best seat!
 How exciting!

Margi

Thanks for the reply.........I have flown to SA before.......my most stressful account was with the Heathrow staff...................strange but true 

mossycow

If you are disabled you do not have to pay extra. Woohoo!

Maybe have a look at comparing flight prices, then call the airlines and tell them exactly what you need.

 I asked about:

Getting on and off (we had a cool ride in an awesome cherry picker type thing....). I insisted on using my own wheelchair as less painful and I can move myself (airport ones are to be pushed by someone else)

Toilets. A reserved seat near the toilets made a massive difference. 8 can stand/walk for 15 seconds max so lovely air stewards kind of managed the queue so I could get in quick. They were lovely

I need my husband there as it's hard to eat, drink, take clothes on and off myself. 

We had help in airport too as we're not used to flying. 

I emailed over a photo of a doctors letter. They suggested I sit in second from first row with my husband and daughter. We didn't pay as I had dlsent proof i was disabled. 

It went really well. Not as exotic as Africa but a big deal for us as it was our first post wheelchair flight. The help given was great. Unfortunately that was with a monarch who no longer 3diwt...hut I would def ring them direct. 

So exciting! Hope it's a fantastic trip! 

Margi

Hi............thanks for the info.......pity about Monarch, but have done it before, but loos' are a problem