Wheelchair passengers

[AirHostess]

Just had a long flight.

Two ladies both with connecting flights had wheelchairs booked. All through the flight they complained about being in pain, downed their painkillers with champagne etc

They constantly questioned wheter the wheelchair service would be there at London to collect them.

We were around 30 mins late but they still had time to make their connections. They then insisted they didn't want to wait for their wheelchairs but grabbed their bags and literally ran up the jetty!

[friendofjimmyk]

They then insisted they didn't want to wait for their wheelchairs but grabbed their bags and literally ran up the jetty!

GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Therefore, they used the wheelchairs they already had and took up space from someone who legitimately needed it.

[Kiwi]

downed their painkillers with champagne etc

haha my doctor always tells me to have a glass of wine to help my sedative along

I don't by the way.

[Aisling]

I can see exactly where they're coming from. Well, not on the pills + booze thing, but on the not waiting for the wheelchairs thing.

I, like a lot of people, have an "invisible" handicap. I can't walk long distances without being in incredible amounts of pain, and if I were to fly someplace, you better believe I'd ask for a wheelchair. But if the wheelchair was late and I had to make a flight, I'd grit my teeth and walk. Why? Because some idiot couldn't get me a wheelchair in time, that's why!

Unfortunately, a lot of places don't accommodate the handicapped as well as they should, and a lot of us have had to learn to live with the pain caused by other people being stupid and/or cheap.

Would you have prefered they miss their flight? Would that have been "proof" enough for you that they really are handicapped?

[AccountingDrone]

We were around 30 mins late but they still had time to make their connections. They then insisted they didn't want to wait for their wheelchairs but grabbed their bags and literally ran up the jetty!

grrr, how stupid. I use a chair a lot, even though on good days I can actually walk with crutches ...

Though I was wondering ... if I travel should I go in my chair, or use the crutches if it is a good day for me, and if I use my sticks, what do I do with them while I am seated? Get in the front row where the only thing in front of me is a bulkhead and lay them on the floor?

[AirHostess]

grrr, how stupid. I use a chair a lot, even though on good days I can actually walk with crutches ...

Though I was wondering ... if I travel should I go in my chair, or use the crutches if it is a good day for me, and if I use my sticks, what do I do with them while I am seated? Get in the front row where the only thing in front of me is a bulkhead and lay them on the floor?

Your crutches will need to go in an overhead. If in doubt, book a wheelchair.

[AirHostess]

I can see exactly where they're coming from. Well, not on the pills + booze thing, but on the not waiting for the wheelchairs thing.

I, like a lot of people, have an "invisible" handicap. I can't walk long distances without being in incredible amounts of pain, and if I were to fly someplace, you better believe I'd ask for a wheelchair. But if the wheelchair was late and I had to make a flight, I'd grit my teeth and walk. Why? Because some idiot couldn't get me a wheelchair in time, that's why!

Unfortunately, a lot of places don't accommodate the handicapped as well as they should, and a lot of us have had to learn to live with the pain caused by other people being stupid and/or cheap.

Would you have prefered they miss their flight? Would that have been "proof" enough for you that they really are handicapped?

I find that hard to believe when they spent most of the flight asking for champagne. They had two hours to make their flight. I advised them to remain seated, wheelchairs were on the way, our captain advised they would be literally 5 minutes away. But they still jumped up and ran off anyway.

I don't need 'proof' of their disability, I just found their behaviour very odd. And they were not 'gritting their teeth.'

I managed to overhear details of the holiday and see snaps of their holiday, walking up the very steep Acropolis. Interesting.

Also, from my vast experience many people do unfortunately order special services so that they can feel special. I have seen this happen many times. I have empathy for anyone with a real disability. Not with frauds.

It's like people ordering special meals....then deciding they don't want their 'special meal' be it religion based, diet based etc and then demand the 'regular' meal instead.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Walking up the Acropolis? Last time I checked that thing wasn't exactly handicapped-accessible.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmm....

[Lace Neil Singer]

Sounds like some of the people who demand to use the wheelchairs and mobility scooters in the supermarket, and then abandon them in the coffeeshop or in an aisle somewhere. -.-

[auntiem]

I had a lot of clients that were the opposite - they really needed chairs and wouldn't let me request them.

I had one lady that I finally convinced to request a chair - she had one of those conditions where she could have good days or bad days and may or may not need the chair - better to request it and not need it than need it and not have it is what I finally convinced her of.

Another thought - don't know if it is true for your airline, but on some if you put in a request for a wheelchair before you ask for seats - you get better seats. Um, not that I ever used that trick for my folks.

[Aisling]

I find that hard to believe when they spent most of the flight asking for champagne.

That, right there, is my mom. Heavily disabled, and even more heavily alcoholic. It's a nasty combo.

And anyone who thinks wheelchair = special privileges sucks. Yeah, cutting in line is nice sometimes, but it's totally not worth the crap people put you through (hitting you with their bags, yelling at you to hurry up, trying to have your "unattended" luggage you're sitting next to carted away since you can't possibly be responsible enough to keep track of it...). I'd much rather be able to walk.

[AirHostess]

That, right there, is my mom. Heavily disabled, and even more heavily alcoholic. It's a nasty combo.

And anyone who thinks wheelchair = special privileges sucks. Yeah, cutting in line is nice sometimes, but it's totally not worth the crap people put you through (hitting you with their bags, yelling at you to hurry up, trying to have your "unattended" luggage you're sitting next to carted away since you can't possibly be responsible enough to keep track of it...). I'd much rather be able to walk.

I see this on a very regular basis, I do work as a flight attendant after all. I'm sorry you have to go through so much stress but there are a lot of people out there who order wheelchairs and other such things when they don't need them.

[Seshat]

Whenever I've had a wheelchair assist on a flight, the staff have been careful and supportive to me. (Big thank you to every airline staffer reading this. Also to train staff, who have also been careful/supportive.)

The general public, on the other hand...

There are some angels. I'll never forget one guy who saw us coming (me, a train attendant pushing me, my best friend with our luggage) and just stepped sideways, pressed the elevator call button, and was gone while I was trying to call out a thank you. Whoever you are - thank you! Less than a second out of your life, but a big help to us. (I don't think most people can realise how tricky a door or a call button can be.)

And there are the idiots who think 'in a wheelchair' means 'paralysed with no sensation' and think nothing of bumping into you, bouncing off you....
Pain disorder, people. . You can't know that. But you also can't know whether I have sensation or not. Don't assume I don't!

Please, treat your fellow humans with some


So to the angels; both general public and in the travel or hospitality businesses: a great big THANK YOU.
To the #(*&#$&, an even bigger (#*&$$#(&

[Sparky]

I had non-refundable tickets to fly on Jan. 4. Broke my arm Dec. 23.

I almost cancelled my trip. I was traveling alone and I was afraid of trying to negotiate the airports, who knew how far I'd have to walk, I'd have to change planes, I'd be in a hurry and confused, etc. Now you might wonder why I'd need help walking when it was my ARM that was broken, but I was feeling dizzy and weak all the time. I could walk fine -- around the house or to and from the car -- but to have to walk far and in a hurry? I wasn't up to it.

My friends encouraged me to make reservations for wheelchair assistance. They assured me that I didn't have to be permanently disabled to use it, and that airlines did this all the time, and that the people were friendly and helpful. So I did.

By the time I went on my trip, I was doing a lot better and didn't use the wheelchair at all. Turns out the dizziness was from my pain medication, and when I'd healed a little and was able to cut back on that, the dizziness went away. The hardest thing was trying to manage in the airport restrooms with my coat, my purse, and my right arm in a sling. I managed.

I guess my point is that I was told that the wheelchair assistance is just there for people who need extra help for whatever reason, and I believed that. On my return trip, I saw a man and woman being wheeled side by side and they both had the sourest expressions on their faces. I wondered if they were just EW sourpusses and looked like that all the time, or if maybe they'd both gotten sick while on vacation and looked sour because they'd had a lousy time.

But after saying all that I still think Princess Katie's low opinion of her passengers was justified.

[Seshat]

I guess my point is that I was told that the wheelchair assistance is just there for people who need extra help for whatever reason, and I believed that.

That is my understanding as well; and no, you don't need to be permanently disabled. If you're disabled enough that you'll have trouble managing, it's worth it to the airline and the airport to know that in advance and be prepared to help you.

I don't know why it's always wheelchair-assist (because hey, some people can walk fine but can't handle luggage for whatever reason), but maybe it's easier for the airlines and airports to just have one level of support for all but the absolute worst cases.

Something I've had to learn about being disabled: accept support when it's offered & appropriate. Accept it with grace and consideration for the support people (but who on this site wouldn't?), but accept it when you need it. It makes it easier for everyone, not just you.


And that's what makes me most angry about people like the ones PrincessKatie dealt with. They make it embarassing for those of us who need it to get support, as well as taking resources we need, wasting the time of everyone involved, and all the etceteras of that.