Wheelchairs
Airlines will accept heavy power wheelchairs like the Permobil. We have flown several times with Juri's 300 lbs. Permobil C300, to Hawaii and Los Angeles.
Flying with your wheelchair takes a little bit of preparation.
Flying with your wheelchair takes a little bit of preparation.
- Call ahead to the airline and tell them that you have a wheelchair, what kind it is, and approximately how much it weighs. They might ask what kind of battery it has, or they might phrase the question as "wet cell or dry cell". Tell them it is a dry cell battery.
- The airlines will check the wheelchair into the luggage compartment. You have some options, depending on your physical abilities, the layout of the airport, and the requirements of the airline. For example, you can check the wheelchair in at the ticket counter, and ask to be transferred to an airport push-wheelchair. If you are more comfortable staying in your Permobil, ask if you can ride up to the boarding gate and have them check in the wheelchair there. If you are not able to walk, tell them ahead of time that you need an aisle-side wheelchair to board the plane. The aisle-side chair is a narrow wheelchair that can fit down the aisles of the plane. They will transfer you from your Permobil to this chair, strap you in, and wheel you to your seat.
- When you book your reservation, or when you call to tell them you have a wheelchair, or even when you arrive at the airport to check in, ask them for an aisle seat near the front of the plane. This will make it easier for you to board the plane. Be insistent, they will usually accommodate your needs.
- When you call ahead to tell them you have a wheelchair, ask them if the wheelchair will fit in storage. For large planes, this isn't a problem, but for some of the smaller planes used for short flights, it could be a problem. We flew from San Jose to Los Angeles on a smaller plane, and the wheelchair barely made it in. We had to recline the seat back all the way for it to fit through the storage door.
- When you go to the airport, bring an extra empty carry-on bag. Before checking the wheelchair in, try to remove some of the parts of the wheelchair that are fragile or stick out, and put them in the carry-on bag. For example, we remove the headrest. If you can, remove the joystick controller, otherwise see if you can cover it with something protective, like wrapping it with a thick towel or find some large cardboard or plastic tube that can fit over it, and tape it down. If the knob on the joystick comes off, remove it and keep it with you. The airlines almost lost ours!
- Before you travel, practice taking these things off and putting them back on. Bring some simple tools in your carry-on that you need to take things off the wheelchair, or for tightening or fixing loose things when you are away from home. If you got the Permobil from a medical supplier, it should have come with a set of wrenches for all of the different parts on the wheelchair. A good tool to get is multi-size allen wrench, the kind that looks like a swiss army knife and has several different sizes of allen wrenches. Get both a standard set (in inches) and a metric set. Sometimes a wheelchair contains both kinds of screws!
- Don't forget to bring the wheelchair charger! Take it with you carry-on so that you make sure you don't lose it.
- While you are at it, bring a long extension cord and one of those 2-to-3 prong outlet adapters. You never know what kind of AC power you will have at your destination, or where the outlets are, or if you have enough outlets for all your equipment.
- Tell the baggage handlers to NOT stack anything on top of your wheelchair. We got a large white T-shirt, wrote "DO NOT STACK" on the front and back, and we put the T-shirt over the wheelchair seat before it gets checked in.
- Learn how to disengage the motor on your wheelchair. There is usually a lever at the base that you pull one way, and push another. This disconnects the motor from the wheels, so that the wheelchair can be pushed by hand. The baggage handlers will need to do this so that they can push the wheelchair from your check-in point to the luggage compartment.
BiPAP
When you fly with your BiPAP, make sure to bring it with you as carry-on luggage. You do not want the airlines to lose it! Also, the BiPAP does not count towards the total number of carry-on items you are allowed.
Some things to keep in mind:
Some things to keep in mind:
- Pack your mask, hose, head strap, and any other essential items with the BiPAP (e.g., AC power cord, filter, humidifier).
- Bring the user manual with you, as well as a photocopy of the doctor's prescription for the BiPAP. Keep them with the BiPAP.
- If you want to use the BiPAP on the plane, make sure you have a rechargeable battery and power adapter that work with your unit. The BiPAP manufacturer should have a document that certifies that the BiPAP is certified for use during flight. See if it is in your user manual, or if the manufacturer has one on their website. You can also ask your respiratory health care professional or durable medical equipment supplier to find you a copy of this document.
- When you go through the security line, the TSA agents may want to inspect the unit. After they are done, make sure the bag is zipped up and closed securely before you pick it up and go (I dropped my CPAP that way, since the agent didn't bother zipping up the case afterwards).
- Bring an extension cord and a 2-to-3 prong AC adapter. You might not have an outlet near the bed or wherever you want to use the BiPAP.