r/disability • u/midnightforestmist • 12h ago

Question Seeking advice re: first time air travel as a wheelchair user!

Hey all, soon I'm going to be flying for the first time since acquiring my disability and it's also my first time ever flying alone (and iirc the last time I flew in general was over ten years ago). I have all the paperwork (SmartDrive air travel certificate, TSA disability card, etc.) and signed up for all the services (TSA Cares assistance program and airline wheelchair assistance). How early should I arrive? Do you have any other specific tips? TIA!

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u/RO2THESHELL 12h ago

I would arrive 2 hours early to insure if someone doesn't get to you right away you don't miss your fight my husband broke his leg in 3 places while visiting his family and had to use their services and almost missed his flight because it took the person who pushed him through the process took about 30 mins to get to him also don't wear anything with metal wear shoes you can slip on and off

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u/midnightforestmist 11h ago

Yeah two hours seems to be what's recommended from what I've seen elsewhere online. I "wear" metal in my bones lol so that's sort of moot but I get what you mean :)

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u/RO2THESHELL 11h ago

I have a metal plate in my head surgical steal isn't the same as the metal you wear

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u/nimeria-inblue 8h ago

I use an electric wheelchair, I've flown around europe on shorter flights numerous times, but I've also been on one long-distance flight to another part of the world. You should really arrive 2 hours in advance, potentially even 3 (but since, from what I understand, you don't need as much assistance as I do, probably 2 hrs is enough). Regarding metal detectors, a lot of the time I don't go through one, since it would just light up because of the wheelchair and surgical metal in my body. The security personnel will search you manually, as in 'feel you up', of course asking for permission first and also the person doing the search will be of the same sex as you. Feel free to ask me if you think I could be of help with anything else.

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u/CleanBlueberry8306 2h ago

Bring painkillers sitting for a long period of time hurts