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I would like to fly to another city in the US, but have not been on a plane since I was 3. I am have joint problems and it hurts alot for me to stand for more than a minute or 2. I am wondering how long you have to stand or wait in line before they let you on the plane? I don't want to use one of the airport wheelchairs because I am a younger guy and I feel it is demeaning.
You'll do a lot of walking but I don't see where you would have to stand so much.. Maybe during check in and security. Those would be the bugaboos for you.
It varies greatly. At some airports, you can breeze right through security. At other airports, you can stand in line for 20 minutes or more. And during the actual boarding process, you can remain seated until your boarding group is called, but it may be difficult to navigate through the mass of bodies that congregate at the gate waiting their turn.
As someone else mentioned, there will be a lot of walking.
You'll probably have to decide whether your desire to travel is greater than your concern that using a wheelchair is somehow demeaning.
It varies greatly. At some airports, you can breeze right through security. At other airports, you can stand in line for 20 minutes or more. And during the actual boarding process, you can remain seated until your boarding group is called, but it may be difficult to navigate through the mass of bodies that congregate at the gate waiting their turn.
As someone else mentioned, there will be a lot of walking.
You'll probably have to decide whether your desire to travel is greater than your concern that using a wheelchair is somehow demeaning.
Is there an option to sit down and let the other people at the TSA line go first, then go yourself last?
Your choice is standing in long lines and walking some distance to a gate or submitting to something you have decided is "demeaning."
Most airports have a guest or handicapped services office. When I broke my ankle and had one of those big ankle casts, I was very grateful for the help. It's not faster than standing in line, but it is a lot less painful.
My own airport is so small it wasn't necessary, but coming home out of Denver we were at gate 92, is which a shuttle ride and a long, LONG walk on crutches. The wait at the Service office for a wheelchair was almost an hour, but they do take you to the head of the TSA line, and that really minimizes the "standing around" part, which, for me, was more painful than walking. After TSA, they take you to your terminal and then you ride in one of the little electric carts to your gate - sort of, my gate was at the end of a tacked-on hallway downstairs, but at least they took me directly to the elevator and then it was only 5 gates or so from there.
The biggest favor you can do for yourself is to learn the rules - what you can pack in checked luggage, what you can carry in a carry-on, the size the carry-on can be, how you have to lay out certain items, like liquids and gels. There is no arguing with TSA, either, it will only cause you trouble and delay you getting to your gate. When you are measuring luggage to see if it passes your airline's requirements, includes the wheels and the handles - for whatever stupid reason, a lot of luggage mfrs give the dimension of the basic luggage "box" and not the full actual dimensions.
I would like to fly to another city in the US, but have not been on a plane since I was 3. I am have joint problems and it hurts alot for me to stand for more than a minute or 2. I am wondering how long you have to stand or wait in line before they let you on the plane? I don't want to use one of the airport wheelchairs because I am a younger guy and I feel it is demeaning.
Yeah your biggest wait will probably be going through security, possibly checking in at the counter before security as well. Planes usually load up in zones depending on where you sit so as long as you aren't part of the "gate lice" crowd standing around the gate for who knows what reason then just sit until your row section is called. There will be a slight line even then to board the plane, not long but it might exceed a few minutes, if you have difficulty standing for even a minute or two then you might want the wheel chair.
Most airports have a guest or handicapped services office. When I broke my ankle and had one of those big ankle casts, I was very grateful for the help. It's not faster than standing in line, but it is a lot less painful.
My own airport is so small it wasn't necessary, but coming home out of Denver we were at gate 92, is which a shuttle ride and a long, LONG walk on crutches. The wait at the Service office for a wheelchair was almost an hour, but they do take you to the head of the TSA line, and that really minimizes the "standing around" part, which, for me, was more painful than walking. After TSA, they take you to your terminal and then you ride in one of the little electric carts to your gate - sort of, my gate was at the end of a tacked-on hallway downstairs, but at least they took me directly to the elevator and then it was only 5 gates or so from there.
If you call ahead to your airline and reserve a wheelchair, there's very little wait. I reserved a wheelchair for my mother, and when we arrived at the ticket counter to check our bags, I let them know that we had reserved a wheelchair. They pointed us to some nearby seats, and within 5 minutes, someone had arrived.
It's also a good idea for connecting flights and arrival airports. If your airline knows in advance of the request, there will be someone waiting on the jetbridge with a wheelchair and a sign with your name.
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