Airline travel with powered wheelchair

Anyone have any tips for the airplane traveller who uses a powered wheelchair or 3-wheeled mobility scooter?

Everyone knows about the SHOT show next year, but I may end up travelling to California this summer to appear on a TV infomercial. The travel expenses would be paid by the infomercial producers, so that isn't going to be an issue. What may be an issue though, is this big electric wheelchair I need to get around in.

Anyone here know what the airline's service record is for getting those things to and from their destinations intact? I've heard more horror stories about broken/mutilated/destroyed mobility equipment than all other airline claims combined, and I don't want my chair (or scooter, if that's what I decided to configure it as) to become the next statistic, because I have no insurance to replace it with if it becomes destroyed.

Tips, advice, anything's welcome.

Sorry, I can't reveal the details on which infomercial I might be on until after it's been shot.

First idea that popped into my head is to require the commercial guys to insure your mobilizer. All part of doing business.

What part of CA are you headed to? I'd like to help guide you in with my green laser...

I'd say that the only way you can absolutely guarantee it not to get damaged (because I imagine you'd rather not have to use the insurance, even if you have it..) is to lock it up in a big wooden crate or something..

I don't know of any other way to prevent it getting damaged - the airline is unlikely to take any responsibility when it comes to shipping anything of an unusual shape or size, if it isn't packed appropriately for shipping.

Graham

Television stars are insured for Millions, and only travel by private plane - tell them to bear that in mind.

lightlover

The folks posting before me have some good ideas

I was a "Ramp Agent" for a major airline for a (short) while. (Ramp agent being the "politically correct" term for a baggage stuffer.

Anyway, I gotta say from my experience that you have about a 75% chance of it getting messed up, at least somewhat---. I always tried to take care of people's baggage, and tried to make sure my crew did too, but if you saw the way that most baggage handlers treat your luggage etc, you'd never fly again with more than a carry-on. "If it doesn't fit, kick it until it does. If it is marked fragile or is obviously fragile, kick it harder. If it is a real pain in the anal cavity to load and stack efficiently (Like a wheel chair, a pet-carrier or set of golf clubs etc.) make sure something breaks."

Make the infomercial guys buy a "seat" for your chair; don't check it as baggage. That ought to get it through OK.

And be sure to let us know what the infomercial is; I'll break my long-standing rule and watch it!

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Silviron:

Anyway, I gotta say from my experience that you have about a 75% chance of it getting messed up.

And be sure to let us know what the infomercial is; I'll break my long-standing rule and watch it!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Man, those are sure some nasty odds. Yuk!!
I don't care if it gets dented or if the front plastic gets cracked - I just don't want all the wires ripped out or have the thing dropped from the cargo hold directly onto the tarmac, or have other heavy bags thrown on top of it. That would destroy it for sure. I can't pre-pack it, because I'll be riding in it right up to the gate. The normal procedure is to then hand it off to the gate agent, who opens that locked door behind the little lectern, then the cargo handlers grab it and load it into the belly of the plane. Airlines forbid shipping these appliances in the passenger cabin or the live animal compartment, so buying a second ticket or seat for it will not be possible. It wouldn't fit down the aisle anyway.

I do have a spare scooter, but the tranny's shot and it might only work for a day or two before it falls off, and the motor needs a new stator cap thingie & a set of brushes. (End-mounted brushes too, what a pain!!)
Guess I just have to hope I'm in the 25% minority.

As for the infomercial I may appear in, I can't mention the product or producer yet. If I do, some sharkks might come after me and need to be poked with a stick and then stuffed into a nonexistant bag.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by The LED Museum:

As for the infomercial I may appear in, I can't mention the product or producer yet. If I do, some sharkks might come after me and need to be poked with a stick and then stuffed into A nonexistant bag.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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Maybe if you "bribe" the head Ramp Agent with an ARC or Photon or a Legend LX etc. he will see that your chair gets loaded right (that's 90% of the danger) and just pray that the unloaders are careful. Usually the head RA will be somewhere around the gate about 15 minutes before scheduled departure time, (unless things have changed since my days).

Ask one of the ticket agents to point him out....