Life is not always a smooth, straight, and easy road for us to travel.
Passing through the airport, for example, can become a process that appears overwhelming from what was once a simple and frequently unthinking procedure.
Many of us may, at some point, for a variety of reasons, find ourselves in a circumstance where the spirit is sound and the outlook is optimistic but the body is reluctantly tested by advancing age, disease, or accident.
Due to a major health issue that developed last year, we just got the opportunity to travel with a family member who fell into such a group.
While she can accomplish daily tasks and walk around the house at her own pace, her mobility is somewhat limited, making it challenging for her to perform tasks that require more physical effort than she is accustomed to, such as navigating through a big, busy airport.
How does her experience flying in a wheelchair compare to ours, and what should you be mindful of if this is your first time doing so?
Here is all you need to know before going to the airport.
Requesting wheelchair assistant
We looked for wheelchair assistance choices while booking our flights this past October so that we could take the family to North Carolina and Tennessee to experience the fall foliage.
On an airline's website, you can normally request wheelchair assistance in one of two places, however, the precise procedure varies by carrier.
During the actual booking procedure, you could have the choice to ask for "special help."
If the request cannot be made at the time of booking, you may be able to locate a mechanism to do so in the trip information section of your airline account after your reservation has been confirmed.
You can call your preferred carrier to ask for a wheelchair or other assistance if you'd prefer to skip exploring airline websites to find the right area to do so.
You don't have to use a wheelchair at home on a regular basis, like my cousin, to benefit from this service.
You're welcome to use a wheelchair provided by the airport, though you can alternatively bring your own and get help using it.
The way the airport staff helps you when you submit your request can also be altered by you.
When we submitted our request, we requested that assistance be offered at all participating airports, from the terminal's arrival to the boarding gate and again from the departure gate to the terminal's exit.
In contrast, you might not require as much help based on your own circumstance.
If that is the situation, be sure to let the airline and airport know how much assistance you require when submitting your request.
Utilizing a wheelchair
We were able to locate the wheelchair storage room and attendant for our airline as soon as we arrived at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
The location was close to the main floor of the terminal's check-in and luggage drop-off areas.
Each airline in the terminal at IAH seemed to have a similar configuration.
The attendant greeted us and was aware of our request for wheelchair assistance, so after scanning my relative's boarding pass and verifying her identity with an ID check, he assisted her in getting into a wheelchair, loaded her personal belongings, and pushed the chair toward the security checkpoints at the airport.
We were instructed and urged to remain in a group, and shortly thereafter we were at a designated wheelchair-access location at the front of the security lines.
We essentially got first dibs on the checkpoint and ensuing scanning process at the Transportation Security Administration.
The airline employee assisted in securing luggage and personal items after each item exited the X-ray machine while accompanying our relative in a wheelchair throughout the process.
He then pushed the wheelchair to our departure gate and required as to if we'd want to pause for any refreshments, snacks, or pit stops along the way.
Before leaving to help others, he checked that everything was fine and that we were comfortable at the entrance.
We hadn't even been at the boarding gate long when the gate attendant came over and inquired as to whether we needed assistance descending the ramp to the aircraft.
Our traveling partner declined, stating that she believed she could manage without us.
When the agent called for "those that might need more time in the boarding process," we were told that we could board early.
Our three-person group was once more instructed to stick close.
This was helpful and necessary because we could help our travel buddy carry things and put them in the overhead compartment.
We had a pleasant two-hour flight from Houston to Atlanta and were told that the best thing to do would be to wait to get off the plane until everyone else had done so in order to speed up the procedure for the others.
A kind assistant was waiting for us outside the now-empty plane with a wheelchair and a tablet that had my relative's name on it.
As soon as she had read the boarding card for the subsequent flight, we were on our way up the ramp and into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
As we moved through the considerably bigger Atlanta airport, we were given the opportunity to grab refreshments or use the restroom, similar to our experience at the smaller Houston airport.
We had a significantly longer journey this time, requiring us to travel through two concourses and board the airport's automated people mover, the Plane Train, as our subsequent flight was leaving from a separate concourse.
We followed our aide's lead because she was aware of our destination.
We were practically being personally guided through the airport.
Our buddy decided to utilize the wheelchair all the way to the plane's door because we had already come quite a distance - 956 stairs plus an escalator, just within ATL.
Again, we had the option of boarding early, which gave us plenty of time to settle in before the usual boarding process started.
Once more, a wheelchair attendant was available and happy to assist us as we navigated Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport when we arrived at our destination in Chattanooga, Tennessee (CHA).
We quickly left the airport to start our leaf-peeping excursion through Tennessee and North Carolina.
Traveling with mobility issues: some advice
If mobility is a problem or a concern, there are other options for making travel a little simpler besides asking for wheelchair help at airports.
Remember to bring your home-based disabled parking placards, if you have them if you're renting a car.
This benefit can be quite useful for cutting down on the distance that must be covered at eateries, shopping, attractions, and more.
In addition, if a room on the first floor is not a possibility, make sure to request a room that is close to an elevator, on the ground floor, or by an entrance.
A good experience or a bad one could possibly be determined by how many steps are cut.
In addition, be aware of your limits to prevent overdoing them.
During our trip, my relative felt as though her energy was waning, so she decided to take a day off from her usual activities to rest and recharge at the hotel.
The fact that she was able to completely enjoy and participate in everything else we had planned for our trip thanks to this leisurely down day helped her feel comfortable for the duration of our trip.
In conclusion
Mobility limitations may make traveling a little more difficult, but it is unquestionably doable with good planning.
Airports all throughout the United States provide complimentary wheelchair assistance so you (or those in your travel party) may go from point A to point B without too many difficulties.
While there may be problems along the way—after all, no system is perfect—you can feel secure knowing that a staff member who is familiar with the airport you are traveling through will be there to assist you.
You may conserve energy and be more mindful while out exploring your selected location by making the most of all the resources at your disposal.
FACEBOOK