Collaboration makes the impossible possible after an air travel impasse
The challenges: Safely storing my wheelchair and getting me on and off the plane
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A sick feeling sank like a rock in my stomach. My wheelchair would not fit in the airplane cargo hold, the airline employee told me. My only options were to refund our tickets or reroute us through another airline.
My caregiver and I sat there, surrounded by our carry-on bags and well-laid plans, stunned by this news.
Because I live with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), air travel is complicated. The two biggest challenges are safely storing my wheelchair and safely transferring me on and off the airplane. I had never flown with this airline before, but when I purchased our tickets two months in advance, I did my due diligence and gave them a full and detailed report of my disability and special assistance needs. This was not the first time I had flown, so I really thought I had covered all the bases.
Canceling and rerouting my flight were not options, so one way or another, my wheelchair and I were both boarding that plane in the next hour.
Flying the problem-solving skies
A short time later, two cargo handlers inspected my wheelchair to see if it could be folded, taken apart, or laid on its side. The answer to all of these questions was a resounding no, but this led us toward our solution.
My power wheelchair has special functions for reclining and tilting, and we figured out that by removing the headrest and reclining the back, it would fit through the cargo bin doorway. I told them I would be the one to change the angle, and they were not to touch that function after I was out of the chair. They agreed, and we moved ahead with our plan.
As soon as the crisis of getting my wheelchair on the plane was resolved, a new one arose: how to get me on the plane.
At the gate, another airline employee explained how I would be lifted from my wheelchair, secured in an aisle chair, wheeled onto the plane, and transferred to my assigned seat. All pretty standard, and something I’ve done several times before, so I calmly listened before adding that I would need to be lifted on the ADAPTS travel sling that I had brought with me.
Not doable, I learned. Airline employees were prohibited from handling any specialized accessibility equipment brought by the passengers. The airline’s policy was for my safety, I was told, but that was also why I used my own travel sling. I’ve actually been injured from being lifted because of the low muscle tone in my shoulders and neck.
The only options were to do it their way, have my caregiver lift me, or get reimbursed for my tickets. Another impasse.
But after a tense, stubborn standoff, the employee came up with a third possibility. He called in the airport’s emergency medical team to lift me in my travel sling! And then he called ahead to our destination airport to notify them of this special arrangement so they could be prepared in the same way! Then he added a note to my return flight itinerary so my flight home would be safe, smooth, and effortless!
The experience reminded me how important it is to think outside the box, to find a third option, and to seek out a better solution. Perhaps no challenge is impossible to overcome if you can collaborate with thoughtful and creative people, wherever you are.
Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.
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