1. STAY SEATED. I've travelled by air 3 times so far this year-once in Jan. when i could really still walk,& twice in June when i couldn't. Each tme i arrived at the entrance & told the skycaps i could not walk & needed a wheelchair right to my seat, which i got with no problems. My observations are: - if you stay seated you are seen as truly in need; - they realize they have to do something with you because everyone is watching; - as soon as you are seen standing, even if not walking you are seen as less in need; - you will be met at the arrival gate because someone figues out they can't turn the plane around until they get you outta dere;. - they have to switch you to a dfferent kind of wheechair to go down the isle of the plane - if you expect to be met by someone with a wheelchair, you'd better take that one too; -most helpful until you are seated are skycaps and other airport personnel, male airline gate personnel, stewards, stewardesses, & female airline gate personnel, in that order [Newark, Minneapolis, Denver and San Diego. Northwest, Continental and Frontier Airlines]. After being seated, Stewardesses are best; -get an electric scooter - as little as $2,200 new, less used, 80% covered by insurance or medicare (you'll have to have a minivan). U can drive it right to the door of the plane, & there it sits when you arrive - as a courtesey, i always get off the plane last, even tho i've always been seated in the first row - bumped to 1st class by Continental. The guy with the wheelchair doesn;t mind waitting. 2. Barb's suggestion below i think is excellent. I have a Boy Scout friend who works at Newark Airport for the NJ-NY Port Authority, which operates it, LaGuardia and Kennedy airports. i have no idea how high up he is but he lives in a big house and his wife doesn't work. If Gina and Barb would give me permission to forward their e-mails to him, i could ask him whom to write to there to talk`Barb's idea up.............i realize this may seem to be just another of my grand schemes, but "you never know." BBA ----- Original Message ----- From: Barb_MSN <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, June 14, 1999 12:27 PM Subject: Re: Travel No More/Beaten - Long Piece > Gina.... > > What a sad and painful commentary on the way the business and > service world seems to be heading. And what a picture of the > "disabled person's nightmare travel experience from HELL" you > painted! <shuddering> > > Perhaps we need to have the same type of "airport/flight > assistant" to meet us at each stop? The same type of airline > service which meets and guides unaccompanied minors when they fly? > (they're generally stewardesses, aren't they?) > > I wonder if there aren't a lotta retired stewardesses who'd like > to bring in additional income by shepherding those who need such a > service thru various airports? And if there ISN'T such a service, > maybe it's time has come? > > Food for thought.... > > Barb Mallut > [log in to unmask] > > -----Original Message----- > From: Gina Cass <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Monday, June 14, 1999 5:52 AM > Subject: Travel No More/Beaten - Long Piece > > > >TO: My fellow PD's (maybe not in spirit but in disease) > > > >I need to tell you this tale for me to get it out, not > necessarily to have > >you respond or even understand. > >I was invited to New Hampshire by friends for a rest of 2 yrs of > changes, > >flight from Elkhart, Indiana to Manchester, New Hampshire was > uneventful. I > >stayed for a week and headed back to Indiana on Friday, June 10 > flying a well > >known Airline that I will name after I talk to the CEO, on their > position. > >My first flight out of Manchester was late, making me miss my > connection in > >Newark, NJ. They had advance notice that I needed a wheelchair > to get to the > >next gate on the other side of the airport which was not there. > It seemed to > >be a hinderance to get one and the person pushing was having a > conversation > >with someone I could not see. They were discussing a picture of > a fire and > >if this person had taken the photo. > >Like I stated I missed my connection in Newark to Cleveland. The > next flight > >to Cleveland was the one I was booked on this one was delayed due > to a light > >that would not light. Yes the thing that it was attached to had > to work and > >was but we needed that light, I understand. I started flying at > 10:05AM EDT. > >from New Hampshire. I asked at each leg of this adventure to > preboard due to > >using a cane. > >Was told that was fine but had to remind them each time. One > time they > >completely forgot and I had to battle the crowd, which don't care > if you walk > >or not. > >They no longer have meals on the flights so I was having a > problem finding > >things to eat. Need to eat after some of the meds. O'hare I > found best to > >get a light something to eat OH that is later. > >I finally got to Cleveland, OHIO. I kept telling my hosts I did > not want to > >go to Cleveland. Over and over was my lament. But Cleveland is > a hub city > >of this particular Airline. I orginally started with a 4 hr > layover in > >Cleveland but due to missed flights, hobbling to gates etc, I had > about 1 hr. > >This was a trek from Concourse C to B opposite sides of the > airport (Why are > >they so far apart?) I had not been able to take my meds, I was > hot, tired and > >upset. But I had done so well this whole week. I was right > "on". While > >standing in line at the check-in I found out my flight from > Cleveland had > >been delayed. Twenty minutes later the flight was cancelled. > Due to > >weather. I looked around and not a cloud or problem appeared. I > felt it > >coming, but I could not stop any of it. Standing in line, I > mentally went > >away. A wonderful young woman, her husband and daughter together > asked if I > >was OK. She took a hold of my arm, took me out of line, set me > down, and > >asked if I was diabetic (I could only nod), I couldn't get out > the fact I had > >Parkinson's. My Tremors had gone crazy. I was shaking so > violently that it > >was hard to hold my ticket. They gave me juice, candy and > something in a > >tube called glucose. Told me they first thought I was drunk or > needed a > >drink and then realized that something else was wrong due to the > color of my > >skin, plus the fact of the cold, clammy touch. The Airline > representative > >commented that she was going to get to me next. TOO LATE > >An ambulance was called, Perimedics put me in ambulance, and took > me to a > >hospital due to the fact that my blood pressure was dangerously > high and my > >blood sugar was so high. They kept saying something about my > heart and > >wanting to give me Nitro. In my confused state I cannot remember > what they > >said. I will call hospital and have them tell me. > >Nice little hospital, close to airport. Doctor was very busy, > say him only > >very briefly but was hooked to D5 to lower everything. I told > them I needed > >something to eat to take meds which I was allowed to use my own > was given a > >snack that was wonderful. I was treated to a 6hr stint there > with various > >nurses visiting, sitting on my bed and talking, a wife of another > Emergency > >Room guest bringing her chair over to my cube and sitting with > me. I do have > >a way with some people of being there for them and putting them > at ease. Two > >ladies from the airline brought me Vouchers to go to a Hotel that > night what > >was left of it, to stay the night, Taxi Vouchers, and meal > vouchers. They > >finally arrived after 3 hrs of promises that the vouchers were on > there way. > >Remember the Airport is very close to the Hospital. I was > finally released > >and got a cab. The young man was very rude to start but I just > wanted to get > >to a room, take a shower and rest. He refused to take my travel > voucher due > >to the fact he picked me up at the hospital and not the airport. > So I paid > >him. Got into Hotel and asked for my room and was told I did not > have a > >room. The real confusing part was they had my luggage. Why did > it go there > >if I had no room? I cracked, crying, I called home to rant, when > the hotel > >staff person said they had a room at the other hotel for me and a > shuttle to > >take me. I ended up 25 minutes away from the airport now and not > 5 minutes, > >1:30 AM no food (I had some trail mix luckly) and so upset I > could not get > >right to sleep. I had about 4 hrs sleep, ordered breakfast that > cost $11.23 > >when the voucher was for only $8.00, and I ordered just a basic > no frills > >breakfast. > >Got a shuttle, just for me to the airport for the flight the > Airline had put > >me on. Which the Airport was a zoo, then I got to the check-in > and again my > >flight was cancelled due to weather (South Bend nor Cleveland had > a weather > >problem, I checked). The next( 12:00) flight was cancelled > (Feeling like > >the "Out-of-Towner). They had put me on a 1:45 PM flight on > another airline > >to Chicago O'Hare now. This flight had been schduled to leave at > 12:03 now > >was leaving at 1:45 PM, I felt that this would end up like the > other flights. > > I went up to the counter, placed my ticket up there and said I > am very ill > >and I need to get home now. She looked at me and agreed so > booked me on the > >1:30 PM flight to Chicago as I wanted to travel with the couple > that had been > >there for me. This flight was delayed. We got to Chicago O'hare > with no > >problems. No Wheelchair again, they called for one but it never > came. No > >Electric Cart either and I was so scared that I would miss the > next and final > >flight. From D Concourse to B Concourse walking with my cane but > I made it > >with time to spare. Also, found a little stand and got some > water, and a > >lunchable to eat to take meds. This flight was delayed once not > due to > >weather but something else. Oh yes the flight never came. > >I finally got to South Bend, Indiana (Notre Dame Fame) with one > piece of > >luggage with the other piece coming 20 minutes later. > >This is a Nightmare that wouldn't end. I am beat physically and > emotionally. > > I lack the faith that I did have in myself. I know many will > say don't > >travel alone, but I am new at this. I have always been fiercely > independent > >and now have to confront my limitations. > >I just needed to get this out and thanks for understanding. > > > >gina > >