Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilVA
Unfortunately this is not rare in the Airline industry. I know someone who has limited walking ability. He was told to wait on the airplane for an escort that never arrived. After about 10 minutes (and the flight staff was already gone) he got up and slowly got off the plane. By the time he made it to the door to the terminal it was already closed and locked. He had to set off the emergency alarm to unlock the door. This was Delta in Atlanta.
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Nothing as bad as this has happened to me but I have walking difficulties and always book a wheelchair to get me from the check in to the gates and apart from Budapest and Tallinn Airports ( both small so not as important for me) which were incredibly well organised and kind, I have been left standing there EVERY SINGLE TIME, waiting and waiting for a wheelchair ( or electric mini shuttle) to arrive. I was left for almost 2 hours in a corridor with the lights switched off once.... It was after a very long flight and I could barely move ( leg-room being another issue if like me you need to put your leg in front of you so it does not swell - and I have long legs on top of it) Hubby went in search of someone who promised many things and delivered nothing.
I book my wheelchair usually about 9 months in advance, remind the airline about a week before the flgiht and of course at check in and tell the flight attendent on board too. Disabled people are treated like cattle especially by big airlines.
We have to wait so long that on occasions it has come so close to the departure time as me having to actually "walk" ( limp heavily) about 2 miles to the gates, at breakneck speed just to make sure I don't miss my flight. At the cost of me ending up in great pain and discomfort with a swollen ankle and foot etc...
It is an absolute disgrace. I now EXPECT to be treated like garbage and am sadly never disillusioned... I have to write a letter of complaint after each flight. Without fail. I should simply have one printed in advance to save the time. And I say that as someone who is at least able to walk if she has to . What you do if you are severely disabled is beyond me.
I am flying out of Heathrow in October and dread the hassles again. Hubby has had to resort to catching a stray wheelchair ( apparently a great crime) and pushing me along. I do not understand why there are not loose wheelchairs in all airports for cases like mine .
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