Slightly dissabled with walking cane on aircraft answer. Wheelchairs at airports.

[malzy]

Hi all

There have been some questions on these topics. I can to answer them with my experience with Malaysia Airline this April / May trip.

I am what I call slightly disabled, as I wear a full brace on one leg but both legs have been effected by polio

when I was a baby. Now as I am 66 yrs find I feel more stable walking with a walking cane and knowing what condition

the Soi's in Pattaya are like I definitely took mine. No problem with it on the plane just folded it up and put it up in the luggage compartment.

The last trip of many trips Ive had to Thailand was in 2007, never took a cane then, but as we get older things get a bit more umm.. wobbly.

Never thought about a wheelchair at airports before, but this time I found the walk at swampy to immigration then to luggage carousel

then down to Bell Buss office a bit too draining. I did use the priority passport counter for people over 70 and walking stick etc to enter

Thailand. Served with a smile...

So was happy when at Departures the check in lady at the Malaysia Airline counter at Swampy

suggested she could get a wheelchair for me, if anyone on here knows how far gate D8 is then

OK he comes, and off we go right to doorway of plane, first in too, but hostess says i must wait on plane to be last off at KL no problem

as a wheelchair was waiting for me there also. Passport control and security no problem just a quick pat down did not have to stand up even.

From landed plane to plane door for flight to Aus from KL, again passport and security no problem a pat down.

Will use wheelchair service again both ways ( by the way the service was free ) and take walking cane on plane again, I am not into selfee sticks for camera's

don't know, cant see a problem if you keep it in the luggage compartment.

Cheers malzy

[IMA_FARANG]

I know exactly what you mean.

My last trip was with Air Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh to Bangkok (April 2016)

i am 70 years old and use a wheelchair due to an old injury with my right ankle that never healed completely.

On Air Vietnam i was lifted up onto the plane with the service trolley they use to bring up the trays for the in flight meals.

A stewaedwss opened the door in the galley and i entered through the galley door.

i was the last person on the plane before takeoff.

Seriously.

(As Robin Williamms used to say,"Joke them...Joke them if thy can't take a F__k".)

Edited May 17, 2016 by IMA_FARANG

[malzy]

Hi IMA_FARANG

Ive never been to Vietnam, you say you were lifted up onto the plane with the service trolley they use to bring up the trays for the in flight meals,

I am guessing Ho Chi Minh airport uses the mobile steps for boarding from the tarmac, not the landing bridges?

Cheers malzy

[IMA_FARANG]

Hi IMA_FARANG

Ive never been to Vietnam, you say you were lifted up onto the plane with the service trolley they use to bring up the trays for the in flight meals,

I am guessing Ho Chi Minh airport uses the mobile steps for boarding from the tarmac, not the landing bridges?

Cheers malzy

------------------------------

Correct

I told the staff I could walk the steps up....since there were handrails to hold on to, but they insisted I should be lifted by the service trolley.

[yermanee]

Hi all,

I'm also a wheelchair traveler and can inform you that all reputable airlines (don't know about LCC's) offer wheelchair service.

At time of booking you will have to ask for this service according to your needs (see below)

Airports do provide the service but the airline is paying for it.

Here are the different options available :

WCHR – Passengers who can ascend and descend steps and move in the aircraft
cabin but who require a wheelchair for distance to/from the aircraft

WCHS – Passengers who cannot ascend and descend steps, where the wheelchair
is required to/from the aircraft and the passenger must be carried up/down the
steps but is able to make their own way to/from cabin seat

WCHC – Passengers who are completely immobile and require a wheelchair to/from
the aircraft and must be carried up/down the steps and to/from their cabin seat.

This service is free of charge for the passenger.

Hope to have helped

Yermanee

Edited May 18, 2016 by yermanee

[Khun Han]

Thanks for that yermanee. I was going to look into this because the mother-in-law is definitely a WCHR at the bigger airports nowadays, but you.ve saved me the trouble.

[yermanee]

Thanks for that yermanee. I was going to look into this because the mother-in-law is definitely a WCHR at the bigger airports nowadays, but you.ve saved me the trouble.

Hi Khun Han,

You're welcome.

I can also inform you that the wheelchair service at Suvarnabhumi is second to none, where at some European airports (AMS and BRU) it's far less so.

Yermanee

[malzy]

Hi Yermanee

thanks for info, and I do agree, the wheelchair service at Suvarnabhumi is very good I also found KLI Airport to be just as good, must add

this was the first time for me though.

IMA_FARANG

Hi, you mentioned "handrails' on the steps,... I wish Thai architects and builders would add these to there building plans.

a

Anyway thats another thread.

Cheers malzy