Fight to Fly Documentary - Wheelchair Users Experiences on Flights

Yes, I watched it. I'm not a wheelchair user and have never been on a plane so knew I would definitely learn something from it.

The treatment of disabled passengers was awful to watch. Not just the physical treatment either, I genuinely couldn't believe the pilot made an announcement across the plane blaming the take-off delay on the wheelchair users.

The new system for remaining in their own chair on a flight looked very good. Though it did leave me with the question of how they'd get to the loo? Would still need an aisle chair on every plane and they'd have to travel the entire length of the moving plane unless there are loos at the front as well.

Definitely looks like it's heading in the right direction though. For now I just hope the staff are trained better in physically handling people where necessary and asking the right questions beforehand to make sure everything is as accessible as it can be on the day.

My son wants me to take a holiday abroad but I’m worried about the problems I have and feel very anxious about all that goes with it,

Good and bad sorry all Xx

I have not watched the documentary I’m afraid. I have flown from Bristol airport, and I am pleased to say that my experience was very good. I was travelling alone, and I was very worried. The staff at Bristol airport are marvellous. I don’t think that I am alone in having a positive experience of flying with complex physical difficulties. I was taken through the airport by a very nice gentleman to a waiting area with other passengers requiring assistance onto the aircraft. We were collected as a small group and driven to the aircraft. I was very conscious of the fact that I was alone and I did feel a little lost, but I suppose that’s only natural regardless of physical abilities or disability. We were wheeled into the ‘lift’ and taken to our seats before the other passengers could board.
I have only praise for the staff that I encountered on every leg of my personal journey.

I didn't see the programme, but twice I've had problems. The first was, they absolutely refused me walking with my crutches a few steps to the shorter steps that I could then take my time to get off after all the passengers had gone. No, instead, I had to transfer to their aisle chair. They then took me down the aisle & carried me down the long plane steps to my own waiting wheelchair. It was seriously painful & I was worrying about their backs, it was embarrassing & so not needed.

The other time, I was taken to the plane first, which is good & normal for disabled, so we don't have to rush. I was the only disabled passenger on that flight, so they wheeled me to the plane, I got myself to the seat & sorted out. Then, the captain requested all crew to get off the plane while it was refueled, apparently normal thing to happen. So off they all went & there was me sat alone in the apparent danger zone watching the refueling.

I've been on several flights over the years since being disabled, some with a niggle, but the majority brillant with no complaints at all, some, outstanding. You would have thought by now, they would have training & the only problems being little niggles, it seems not though, sad. Hopefully this programme will be shown at airline & airport training so corrections can be made to the treatment of disabled passengers.

We watched it. And it was a picture of what could go badly wrong.

Our last flight (maybe not mine but the girl won't fly due to ethical reasons). Was to Madeira. We watched the chair being loaded into the aircraft, about 4 guys working out the best way to handle it. We'd taken photos before and labelled it in English & Portuguese using Google Translate.

And to be fair the airport 'assistance' staff were brilliant on the whole, but they are limited to certain areas of the airport.

Also important was to check the Airline for the width of the hold access. One airline had doors just a little too narrow.

Thankfully the chair was OK. Our experiences when the girl ended up in a Maderia hospital weren't so pleasant however.

I think our next trip might be the taking the train to Holland.

Always , reasearch research, check & triple check and talk to actual humans if you can.

I've had another sadder story with a previous partner that I won't share at this point.

My favourite part of the documentary, was when Sophie went in that plane mockup and the engineer guy showed her the accessible wheelchair space.