Portable scooter to take on an airplane to a music festival

jocelynm

Hi, my husband is anticipating a second back surgery.  He describes excruciating pain after walking for five minutes.
He is an avid concertgoer and has plans to go to 2 music festivals with our teen daughter coming up in April and June.
He is slow to warm up to the different ways to overcome his difficulties.
I would like to see about getting him a mobility scooter that would travel on an airplane.
Does anybody have any solutions to suggest for my husband?  

I’m sure that there are different portable scooters available but have no idea where to begin.
Thank you, everybody! Jocelyn

janer1967

Hi and welcome to the community 

I would start by visiting a mobility shop and asking for their advice and trying out some different ones 

Alex_Alumni

Hello @jocelynm and thanks for your query

From personal experience, taking my own manual wheelchair on a flight meant there was usually some kind of damage involved from putting it in the hold, sadly. I'm not sure whether many airlines would allow for mobility aids like chairs to be stored somewhere in the main plane, if the chair is foldable, but it is certainly something I think they should allow for- given how vital it is to the wheelchair user.

As janer1967 has advised, a good starting point would be to visit a mobility shop with your husband, where you can get an idea of what's available. I know some airlines have restrictions on the weight and dimensions, in terms of chairs that can fit in the hold. It may well be that you would have to pay extra, like extra luggage expenses, to be able to take your chair with you. It's definitely worth checking with each airline as some have different rules. 

If your husband is able to transfer or travel short distances on foot, then wheelchair hire at each airport might also be an option for you, though the chairs aren't designed with the individual in mind, as they cater for so many different people.

If I can help any further or you have any questions, please do ask.

Alex