Flying with a scooter
 

I will be flying to Florida in February to spend a few weeks with my mom and will be traveling with my scooter for the first time. I'm flying on Sun Country Airlines and it will be a direct flight, so I'm thinking this should be fairly easy. I can walk without it, but will want it on my trip since it will be nearly three weeks. I'm not sure if I will need to check it, or drive it right to the gate?
Can those of you who have flown with your scooters let me know how it went and any suggestions?
Thank you!

It might be an idea to call Sun Country Airlines to ask them how to handle it.

When I used to travel to seminars with medical equipment, I found that different airlines handled it differently but it usually went into checked luggage.

I think that they will want to know about what sort of battery pack is on it, and that part may need to be removed and get checked separately; possibly along with the charging unit.

With love, Erika

I am planning to call the airlines, I'm just curious what experiences others had and more what to expect I guess....

easy peasy - tell airline (call ahead of time and re-verify them at counter) that you need to "Gate check" your scooter. *You will need to tell them make/model/color and battery type*

You ride it to the gate (yes, you will patted down at security and scooter swabbed for explosives). At the gate you ride your scooter until they take you to aircraft door (some jetways let you ride right up to plane doorway) then you walk to your seat. If you can't walk to your seat they will need to use an aisle chair (those wee skinny wheelchair like devices that go down plane center aisles).

The scooter gets taken from jetway/gate to the plane belly where they will put it inside the cargo hold. Make sure (!!!) an airline rep/agent puts a tag on your scooter (just like luggage strip/tag on your suitcase). They usually also put on a wheelchair/fragile tag with your flight info.

Tips: secure all loops or cords/wires (I use a ziptie); remove anything that can come off/get snagged & carry onboard (i.e. a gel filled seat cushion, removeable legs, etc). *The bag of gear does not count against your carry on allowance since it is disability related equipment, so don't fret about that.

Put a bright flag of some sort (yarn?) on your "release" handle so they can free-wheel push your scooter. Turn off and you keep the key. The yarn/flag will help the baggage crew know where the release handle is, since scooters models are different. *take a copy of your key just in case they make you leave your key in scooter, as they can get lost/stuck in a pocket and forgotten etc.

I also put my own personal luggage tag with my cellphone number on my wheelchair/scooter that I feel confident won't get ripped loose - I use zipties to attach it to a frame piece. Take a cell phone photo of your chair/scooter before you turn it over to gate check -just in case there is any possible damage. While "oops" handling can happen, most come thru fine.

Do reverse at arrival. Be aware you will get loaded first and also get off plane last (in fact it can take a fair bit of time to see your scooter again at arrival) so make sure to allow for lots of time if transfering flights.

Have a great time!!!

Great advice, Jane!!

Thank you so much! When I called the airline for the first time, the gal told me that I would need to contact TSA? I figured that she wasn't clear on the proceedures so I was planning to call again.
Thank you for the great tips, I will be sure to keep them in mind.
I appreciate your insights very much!
Amy

this a good site - http://www.disabilitytravel.com/acce...ravel-tips.htm

have agreat time!

Thank you so much Joan! :-D
Amy

Sorry to be off topic but I just read this as "flying with a rooster". Time to go to bed I guess. :rolleyes:

HA HA, I read it from the beginning as, "flying IN her scooter". Well, I saw this
video of a woman deep sea diving in her wheel chair, so thought, Why Not!!:D:p:D