Wife in wheelchair, want to travel to USA

[Old Salt]

I can no longer push wheelchair and cope with all the aggro of travel, these days.

Need to see some very close friends living in Norfolk, Virginia, maybe for the last time.

Over the years when the airports, train stations, trains and airlines, have promised my wife 'assisted travel,' we have been let down badly by the a major lack of support; i.e. no one shows up and we wait and we wait and we wait.......phone calls only produce more promises..............eventually, I pick-up the reins and I am able to fill the gap.

Now days, I too have bad arthritis in my ankles and wrists and shoulders and knees, so I can no longer be sure of filling the gap..................sometimes, I need help myself.

Does anyone know a way of getting guaranteed help? It is a nightmare just getting through the various security checks. The airlines, trains, stations and airports all tell me, before I book our flights, "Don't worry, there will be someone there to help you." Well, my experience is, "There isn't!" and most frightening of all is, there is no one around to ask or who is willing to listen, let alone help

Would very much like to hear your ideas or suggestions

Old Salt.................................beginnin
g
to feel totally useless

[albaqwerty]

can't offer help oldsalt, only my heartfelt sympathies which I know neither of you want.
I hope someone can give you the advice you need

[dzug]

Possibly taking a younger relative (or a paid help if it comes to it) with you is a reliable solution

[sara3]

I don't have anything constructive to add, but I wish you and your wife all the best, and good luck x

[cazzz1975]

I would do as dzug suggests, or I would arrange help with the airport prior to turning up, they do have these services (or so they say)

I hope things work out for you xx

[bednobs]

dunno who you fly with but i have always flown to the usa on vrgin and they have always been good witht he wheelchair and help

[Mamyalynne]

Uh dear what a nightmare, in this day and age of disability discrimination you think it would be easily sorted. I have to agree with Dzag, a companion or paid escort seems the only way of guaranteeing help is there when and as you need it.

Do hope you get your trip.

Good luck
M

[vulcan]

there's some info on the following but if you require more, google disabled travel.

http://dptac.independent.gov.uk/door-to-door

[Old Salt]

Thanks everybody. Your kindness and concern is very heartening.

I've been through every 'assistance' which the various modes of travel broadcast "Are pleased to help, any way necessary." Well, I've tried them all, including Virgin. It only takes one of them to drop-the-ball and the nightmare begins. I cannot understand how they take all our requirement details, make all the promises, give us phone number to call and still, we cannot get the help we were promised.

I have called their 'emergency helpdesk' been reassured soon someone will be with us..................thirty minutes later make the same call and given the same flannel.

It takes a really uncaring, cruel, heartless person to be able to do that.

I have enough trouble finding the fare and expenses for my wife and I. A third would be financially impossible.

However, with all the trouble she has had this year, including an operation at Addenbrooke's, I doubt if I will be able to afford the insurance....................and, without travel insurance, only a fool would travel to the USA.

I am very touched by your good wishes,

Old Salt................................my advice is, "Don't get old in England, any more"

[bednobs]

surely though you are talking about going abroad, so perhaps the advice should be "don't get old and go to foriegn countries"

[albaqwerty]

irrespective of where they want to travel, they surely have a right to do so with minimum hassle.

[bednobs]

completely agree, just don't agree with "dont get old in england anymore" when somone is talking about the "help" they experience when they go abroad :)

[mrs_overall]

Old Salt - my late mum had to use a wheelchair for the latter part of her life. I can sympathise with you on this one. After one disastrous trip we took to Tenerife from Manchester, I vowed that I would do all I could to stop her from being treated so shabbily. Whenever she booked anything, I insisted that she obtain names and emergency phone numbers of the staff. On another occasion at Manchester airport, mum was kept waiting for "help" so long that I wheeled her to the front of the desk and refused to move her. The helper turned up pretty sharpish.
It is a sad fact but if you are polite, unassuming and uncomplaining, they will walk all over you. It probably goes against the grain but you need to kick up a fuss, raise your voice and if needs be mention having a close relative who writes for the Daily Mail.
Good luck.

[spudqueen]

Just a thought - maybe a cruise would be better. You can cruise to New York, and maybe your friends could meet you there. It may well be possible to stay a few days in a hotel in New York enjoying your friends company and then cruise home again.

[whitelady]

I travelled from Stanstead to Turkey and the attention I received was fantastic. When we arrived we went straight to the place where they give out the wheelchairs, a porter pushed me from there to where we checked in and then to the security and finally to where we had to wait to board. Again I was taken on to the plane via a side door, They use a lift, I think it's called an ambilift , went in via the door where they bring the food on to the plane.We were given a seat close to the front, about row four.At the other end we got the same treatment, they had the wheelchair waiting with porter but We were almost last to get off, no problem. You must advise your travel agent when booking that you will require wheelchair and porter assistance, this will be done in advance failing that take me along and I will look after everything, lots of cheap flights on sale at the minute. Thankfully I have recovered, I fell 8 feet from my attic and had broken bones in my back and foot. If someone could take you to the airport even a taxi and take you both in with luggage he could take you to the wheelchair area. My advise is pay for help and go as life is too short . Hope you get sorted soon.

[Old Salt]

Thanks for the sound advice mrs_overall

These last few years I have become a bit 'sharp with people,' but the ones I seem to have to talk to, take no notice no matter how insistent and vocal I become. I fear most of our travel for pleasure has come to an end.

And just for the record, it's not just international travel. Our local train station and I had a real heated discussion. At the end of the day, we had to take a train to another station and then make a couple of extra changes.

In our younger days, as I was in the Navy for decades, we got cheap commercial ship travel. In those days the drive from New York to Norfolk, Virginia, was 4 to 6 hours. Train was better but it took about the same time due the the huge number of stops, and it was not very easy with luggage (and in those days I had muscles and very few aches and pains).

When the assistance is available, they are very very good. However, that is the problem, "One never knows when and how badly one is going to be let down." And I can tell you, "At my age and being less than in good condition, it is extremely frightening when you realise, you're on you own,"

But thanks every body for the suggestions..............and most of all, thank you for your caring words

I thought I had paid my dues for a reasonable lifestyle in retirement. I worked hard, paid all my taxes, set aside extra money for a rainy day, did volunteer work, gave time and money to all sorts of charities, and helped my neighbours whenever they were in need. These days I see so many people who have never contributed anything to the system, taking more and more.


Old Salt.........................Guess I'm now labelled a grumpy sad old man

[Dee Sa]

I have travelled many times to States with lady in wheelchair and all you say is true its very much pot luck, If you are lucky enough to travel with Virgin on a direct flight then you get help, but once you transfer on to a US flight they dont care and If you look able bodied standing next to the wheelchair they definately wont help, they expect you to manage.
Last year we went US airlines Gatwick to Vegas via Charlotte, I even e-mailed to make sure they knew we needed help--- none arrived--- and we had to collect our luggage go through customs and then re check in the luggage.Even flashing cash didnt bring help.It wasa nightmare, especially the return journey even though this time the luggage went straight thru.
Once on a Monarch flight back from Goa landed late at Gatwick on xmas eve and the crew took us off the plane sat us on a seat and told us disbled help was on its way and all promptly left us, we waited for over anhour before we realised no one was coming and we did not see another soul, now on return at Gatwick I refuse to leave the plane [ we are always last off because we are disabled] until help arrives, this stops the crew leaving as they cant leave us aboard, not fair on the crew you say, well if you had had one bad experience you would do the same, its surprising how quickly help comes if you wont get off !
Maybe your friends could get a pass to come in and help or if they had a word with the disabled section beforehand but if you have to change planes your chances of help are nil whilst doing this.
I hope you make the trip, but no doubt you are dreading the journey, if you paid the fare could not the people visit you ?Good luck anyway.

[tamborine]

Whoever drives you to the airport may be able to hand you over to the airport disablilty officials before your driver leaves.

Hope that works for you and you have a good holiday.

[Old Salt]

Can see you/ve been through it Dee Sa

If we could only rely on the promises they when we book.............and pay, for our tickets, there would be no problem. But once again, the marketing hype does not match the cash available for the resources

It is not that easy tamborine, if you are old and frail-looking, you become invisible and just someone to get rid of, any way possible. As you age you lose your stamina to stand-up-and-be-insistent.

Thank you both for your caring replies and suggestions

Old Salt

[Dee Sa]

tamborine --- I know you mean well but the point is although in the UK they do come to check in and make sure you get on the plane other places do not, you expect to be met as you get off the plane and helped either to the exit gate thats what they promise when you buy your ticket, or your worst nightmare is changing planes [ this especially applies to the US internal flights] and everyone rushes past you to get whevere they are going and no airport asst arrives, you have hand luggage and you are not well enough to push the wheelchair yourself, usually up a slope,believe me its scary enough to think twice about travelling.

[Old Salt]

And it seems to happen with increasing frequency Dee Sa

But, I sure can't afford to pay for a third person to go on holiday with us.

It just seems that travel for seniors has become impossible...........and now with the increased security at USA airports, the Lord only knows what additional physical machinations will be inflicted on travellers.

Old Salt