Wheelchair

[still kicking]

So, Airlines require if you have a wheelchair, it must fit in the overhead locker or under your seat. This is nonsense no wheelchair will fit in the overhead locker or under the seat. I have a fold-up wheelchair, but it will never fit into an overhead locker. I know I can hire wheelchairs, but they are not always available so what to do?

[soi3eddie]

Which airline told you that? Normally they take the wheelchair at the gate and put it in the hold, then return it at the gate on arrival. This is what Thai Airways did with my uncle's wheelchair in October 2022.

 

[Hawaiian]

On 5/28/2024 at 9:34 AM, still kicking said:

So, Airlines require if you have a wheelchair, it must fit in the overhead locker or under your seat. This is nonsense no wheelchair will fit in the overhead locker or under the seat. I have a fold-up wheelchair, but it will never fit into an overhead locker. I know I can hire wheelchairs, but they are not always available so what to do?

You can request wheelchair assistance at the time of booking.  Booking through an agency may require you to call the airline directly to arrange for assistance.  Many airlines have independent contractors.  It is customary to tip the attendant that assists you.  My experience has been excellent service with very courteous and helpful attendants that know how to navigate through security, immigration and customs.

[treetops]

1 hour ago, Hawaiian said:

You can request wheelchair assistance at the time of booking.  Booking through an agency may require you to call the airline directly to arrange for assistance.  Many airlines have independent contractors.  It is customary to tip the attendant that assists you.  My experience has been excellent service with very courteous and helpful attendants that know how to navigate through security, immigration and customs.

 

OP doesn't want the airport supplied wheelchair but is asking about taking his own and where it'll end up.  If he mentions the airline concerned he might get some informed responses rather than general information or guesses.

 

Tipping the assistant?  No, their employer takes care of their payment.

[AnotherOneHere]

"Wheelchair". 

 

That is the best you could come up with.

 

"Wheelchair" tells everybody what is this thread about. That is the best description your brain come up with. I salute to you. 

[still kicking]

2 minutes ago, AnotherOneHere said:

"Wheelchair". 

 

That is the best you could come up with.

 

"Wheelchair" tells everybody what is this thread about. That is the best description your brain come up with. I salute to you. 

Never mind I reported you 

[AnotherOneHere]

4 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Never mind I reported you 

 

I will take a wild guess that my violation was summed up with a single word rather than a sentence? 🧐

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, AnotherOneHere said:

 

I will take a wild guess that my violation was summed up with a single word rather than a sentence? 🧐

You don't get it do you? one never posts a story on the entry you just use the key words but having no IQ you would never understand time to block you now.

[scubascuba3]

airlines usually take golf clubs and bicycles so i don't see why they can't take a folded wheelchair, possible extra fee though, look again

[KhunLA]

On 5/29/2024 at 3:26 AM, soi3eddie said:

Which airline told you that? Normally they take the wheelchair at the gate and put it in the hold, then return it at the gate on arrival. This is what Thai Airways did with my uncle's wheelchair in October 2022.

I pointed that out to him in a previous thread of his on same topic, and for some reason, I guess he didn't understand or believe my reply. 

 

Even though I worked for the airlines, 4 of them, and was actually the person that would tag and or place in the hold, along with bringing up to plane when landed at destination (not for the same psgr/chair of course), ready for psgr when deplaning.

 

Go figure ... 

[Hawaiian]

On 5/29/2024 at 10:25 PM, treetops said:

 

OP doesn't want the airport supplied wheelchair but is asking about taking his own and where it'll end up.  If he mentions the airline concerned he might get some informed responses rather than general information or guesses.

 

Tipping the assistant?  No, their employer takes care of their payment.

OP says wheelchairs are not always available and suggests that is why he prefers to bring his own.  U.S. airlines are required to provide them along with their code share partners.

When it comes to tipping, I said customary.  My impression is that their salaries are barely enough to make a go.  It depends who on they work for. My experience is limited to only one trip using this service at four different airports, BKK, NRT, HNL and ITO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RetroGTAndrew]

My wife uses a wheelchair due to not being able to walk long distances, so far travelling mostly with EVA Air and also Thai Airways has been very positive. I always add her wheelchair use to the booking and have yet to be disapointed. On check in just let them know you'll be dropping the wheelchai at the gate so they can tag it appropriately.

At LHR it's a bit of a shambles if you want to wait for a buggy ride, so I normally push her to the gate which helps keep me fit! Arrival is sometimes a little bit delayed while they retrieve the chair and at BKK there's always an airport staffer to do the pushing (and yes we tip him) LHR is self help but they do direct us to the buggy immigration gate.

Last time departing BKK they were a bit short of staff so rather than waiting for staff I just pushed her myself, same as at LHR, arriving in the UK is the same as arriving in Thailand.

Mostly one of the cabin crew will ask us to stay seated onboard until they've retrieved the wheelchair and it's ready, if people are stil deplaning they'll sometimes pause them for a minute so we can get to the chair or wait until evereyone is off.

Although ours does fold it's still quite awkward, never even considered the possibilty of taking it onboard, my wife is OK walking on board to her seat, airlines do have special narrow wheelchairs available for people who need assistance all the way to their seat.

 

Andrew

[still kicking]

5 hours ago, RetroGTAndrew said:

My wife uses a wheelchair due to not being able to walk long distances, so far travelling mostly with EVA Air and also Thai Airways has been very positive. I always add her wheelchair use to the booking and have yet to be disapointed. On check in just let them know you'll be dropping the wheelchai at the gate so they can tag it appropriately.

At LHR it's a bit of a shambles if you want to wait for a buggy ride, so I normally push her to the gate which helps keep me fit! Arrival is sometimes a little bit delayed while they retrieve the chair and at BKK there's always an airport staffer to do the pushing (and yes we tip him) LHR is self help but they do direct us to the buggy immigration gate.

Last time departing BKK they were a bit short of staff so rather than waiting for staff I just pushed her myself, same as at LHR, arriving in the UK is the same as arriving in Thailand.

Mostly one of the cabin crew will ask us to stay seated onboard until they've retrieved the wheelchair and it's ready, if people are stil deplaning they'll sometimes pause them for a minute so we can get to the chair or wait until evereyone is off.

Although ours does fold it's still quite awkward, never even considered the possibilty of taking it onboard, my wife is OK walking on board to her seat, airlines do have special narrow wheelchairs available for people who need assistance all the way to their seat.

 

Andrew

Andrew,

I have the same problems cannot walk too far and normally just ask for a wheelchair at the airport but now we always land at the new terminal at swampy and need to take the train to the old terminal. The train is normally packed and fast, and nobody offers me a seat. So, it is not easy for me to travel to Thailand anymore. Albeit I still travel twice a year to see my Thai family and friends.

[Fat is a type of crazy]

5 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Andrew,

I have the same problems cannot walk too far and normally just ask for a wheelchair at the airport but now we always land at the new terminal at swampy and need to take the train to the old terminal. The train is normally packed and fast, and nobody offers me a seat. So, it is not easy for me to travel to Thailand anymore. Albeit I still travel twice a year to see my Thai family and friends.

Did you know there is a free shuttle bus between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang . Think it's still going according to google. Or taxis of course for less than 20 bucks AUD. 

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Did you know there is a free shuttle bus between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang . Think it's still going according to google. Or taxis of course for less than 20 bucks AUD. 

I guess you misunderstood I still land at Swampy, but they have a new terminal now, so we have to take the train to the customs and luggage collection. I did not mean the old airport.

[RetroGTAndrew]

1 hour ago, still kicking said:

Andrew,

I have the same problems cannot walk too far and normally just ask for a wheelchair at the airport but now we always land at the new terminal at swampy and need to take the train to the old terminal. The train is normally packed and fast, and nobody offers me a seat. So, it is not easy for me to travel to Thailand anymore. Albeit I still travel twice a year to see my Thai family and friends.

Hi, @still kicking

Don't leave it until you arrive at the airport to request a wheelchair. Request 'Special Assistance' when you book your ticket or log on and add it after your eTicket is issued. That way you will be allocated a wheelchair and a pusher at both departure and arrival. At LHR they use a wheelchair to take you to the buggy waiting area which then takes you to the gate where they have chairs to take you to the aircraft door, on arrival at BKK you will be met with a wheelchair and a staffer to take you through the 'Fast Track' immigration, baggage claim and out to the meeting point.

Certainly that's what we did until wifey got her own wheelchair, bought a fairly lightweight folding one in Thailand as she's quite compact!

Andrew

PS. Where do you fly in from?

[still kicking]

30 minutes ago, RetroGTAndrew said:

Hi, @still kicking

Don't leave it until you arrive at the airport to request a wheelchair. Request 'Special Assistance' when you book your ticket or log on and add it after your eTicket is issued. That way you will be allocated a wheelchair and a pusher at both departure and arrival. At LHR they use a wheelchair to take you to the buggy waiting area which then takes you to the gate where they have chairs to take you to the aircraft door, on arrival at BKK you will be met with a wheelchair and a staffer to take you through the 'Fast Track' immigration, baggage claim and out to the meeting point.

Certainly that's what we did until wifey got her own wheelchair, bought a fairly lightweight folding one in Thailand as she's quite compact!

Andrew

PS. Where do you fly in from?

Andrew, I am from OZ 

I am worried about the train connection from the old terminal by train to the new one. Yes, I know about booking a wheelchair, it is the train ride what bothers me in the past we stopped at the old terminal I could get a wheelchair after departing from the plane but now I need to take a train from the new terminal to the old one, as I said it is fast and I never get to sit having problems standing in a fast train and walking steps it makes it very hard but Thanks for your prompt reply. I guess you are from the UK.

[RetroGTAndrew]

8 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Andrew, 

@still kicking Ooops, some of your text went missing!

 

I should have said 'Request 'Special Assistance' when you book your ticket or log on and add it after your eTicket is issued' whether you are taking your wheelchair or want an airport wheelchair, either way if booked in advance they will allocate staff to transport you at both ends, at LHR the buggies have hooks on the back to take your own wheelchair to the gate.

Andrew

[RetroGTAndrew]

33 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Andrew, I am from OZ 

I am worried about the train connection from the old terminal by train to the new one. Yes, I know about booking a wheelchair, it is the train ride what bothers me in the past we stopped at the old terminal I could get a wheelchair after departing from the plane but now I need to take a train from the new terminal to the old one, as I said it is fast and I never get to sit having problems standing in a fast train and walking steps it makes it very hard but Thanks for your prompt reply. I guess you are from the UK.

Yep, we're from the UK (wife is dual Thai / UK) I think if you book 'Special Assistance' in advance of your flights they will meet you and organise transport irrespective of the arrival gate, might be a bit slow, but I'll stress again that you need to book in advance, preferably when booking your flights which we always do. The Thai assistance staff seem pretty organised with paper lists and handheld devices to confirm passenger names.

Andrew

 

Try it it on your next trip and report back how it went......

[still kicking]

2 minutes ago, RetroGTAndrew said:

Yep, we're from the UK (wife is dual Thai / UK) I think if you book 'Special Assistance' in advance of your flights they will meet you and organise transport irrespective of the arrival gate, might be a bit slow, but I'll stress again that you need to book in advance, preferably when booking your flights which we always do. The Thai assistance staff seem pretty organised with paper lists and handheld devices to confirm passenger names.

Andrew

Yes, my wife is dual (Thai, OZ) Where do you live in the UK no need to answer me on here .

[JimTripper]

Are the attendants allowed to physically carry disabled passengers to their seats if no wheelchair is available? Probably not due to liability issues.

[still kicking]

11 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Are the attendants allowed to physically carry disabled passengers to their seats if no wheelchair is available? Probably not due to liability issues.

I still walk OK just long distance is a problem for me and steps.

[RetroGTAndrew]

23 hours ago, still kicking said:

Yes, my wife is dual (Thai, OZ) Where do you live in the UK no need to answer me on here .

Sent you a message...........

[still kicking]

7 minutes ago, RetroGTAndrew said:

Sent you a message...........

Thanks 

[jts-khorat]

On 6/12/2024 at 5:47 PM, Fat is a type of crazy said:

Did you know there is a free shuttle bus between Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang . Think it's still going according to google. Or taxis of course for less than 20 bucks AUD. 

 The free shuttle bus is still running and it was surprisingly empty the last few times we used it -- it seems not to be well known. It is a normal bus, so not very comfortable, but a wheel chair would have been possible.

[still kicking]

2 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

 The free shuttle bus is still running and it was surprisingly empty the last few times we used it -- it seems not to be well known. It is a normal bus, so not very comfortable, but a wheel chair would have been possible.

You guys no nothing at all I was talking about the new terminal in Swampy not the old airport I am still landing at Swampy I never mentioned Dong Muang 

[jts-khorat]

On 6/12/2024 at 7:43 PM, still kicking said:

Andrew, I am from OZ 

I am worried about the train connection from the old terminal by train to the new one. Yes, I know about booking a wheelchair, it is the train ride what bothers me in the past we stopped at the old terminal I could get a wheelchair after departing from the plane but now I need to take a train from the new terminal to the old one, as I said it is fast and I never get to sit having problems standing in a fast train and walking steps it makes it very hard but Thanks for your prompt reply. I guess you are from the UK.

 

Maybe it would be of interest to know to where you want to fly. We fly normally to either Udon Thani or Phuket, and of course it is well possible to book flights where you never have to leave Suvannabhumi: they also do have a domestic terminal.

 

The walking distances within the airport are far, but everything is very accessible with a wheelchair and you will have to walk most of it anyway (baggage claim, customs) before getting to transfer. At one stage you will need to change to a different airport level, but there are plenty of elevators.

 

Obviously I do not know if there are also domestic flights to some of the smaller destinations within Thailand, but maybe you have been doing it more complicated than necessary.

 

And if you need to travel through the city, you can get a taxi... definitely a different price point, but you sit in comfort without worrying about finding seating in a public transport. A normal folding wheelchair should fit in the trunk of a sedan, if you still think it necessary to bring one.

[jts-khorat]

3 minutes ago, still kicking said:

You guys no nothing at all I was talking about the new terminal in Swampy not the old airport I am still landing at Swampy I never mentioned Dong Muang 

 

Ok, obviously we talked past each other, sorry.

 

For the small train from the new terminal, I have no knowledge. Maybe there is a possibility to go outside and use a taxi to drive aorund the airport from terminal to terminal -- surely somebody else might know?

[still kicking]

Never mind You all misunderstand I was asking about wheelchair advice at Swampy not any advice about travel 

 

[OJAS]

On 6/12/2024 at 10:38 PM, still kicking said:

Andrew,

I have the same problems cannot walk too far and normally just ask for a wheelchair at the airport but now we always land at the new terminal at swampy and need to take the train to the old terminal. The train is normally packed and fast, and nobody offers me a seat. So, it is not easy for me to travel to Thailand anymore. Albeit I still travel twice a year to see my Thai family and friends.

 

Based on my personal experience of flying from LHR to BKK just over a month ago, you will definitely not need to stand on the train from the new to old terminals at BKK, provided that you have pre-booked wheelchair assistance, as strongly recommended by @RetroGTAndrew (I, too, have mobility issues which make it difficult for me to walk long distances at airports). In my case I was met with pre-booked wheelchair assistance immediately I had stepped off the plane, and the assistant wheeled me all the way to where I met my wife in the old terminal. I was not forced to stand on what was a crowded train from the new terminal. Hope that this sets your mind at rest on this particular issue.