Statham2016

Does anyone have any experience of requesting and getting assistance from an airline or airport staff in helping someone go through the travelling process. i.e. getting through check-in, security, boarding gate etc

My mother who will be visiting Canada for the first time (I'll be taking her here, but she will be returning alone) is not only an inexperienced traveller, but partially sighted. So although I can help her check in, I'm concerned that she might struggle to deal with all the steps following that and get on the plane with limited stress.

She is travelling with Air Transat, and I am just about try find a contact and send an email to customer services or to whoever it may concern, but I hope I will not be given empty promises or worse, a "sorry we cant help" reply.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this?

Thanks

scrubbedexpat091

There are wheelchair runners at airports who will assist in getting her from the check in to the gate and then onto the aircraft if necessary.

Best to ask both by calling in before the flight as well as when checking in, the check in staff will call whichever company they use for wheelchair service.

quiltman

I don't know if it's the same in Canada, but here airlines require you to fill in an assistance form and get it signed by your doctor. It then works very well - we've done it a few times and been as smooth as silk at both ends! Most airlines have a page on their websites where they tell you how to apply for assistance. We've used this on Qatar/emirates/Air France/Silk Air in the past few years , again with no problems.

quiltman

forgot to mention that when we've requested assistance it is printed on our boarding passes and the check in desk calls for the wheelchair guy. We once spent 7 hours in Doha, and at 5.00am, the wheelchair guy arrived to collect us!

Siouxie

https://www.airtransat.com/en-CA/Tra...ical-Equipment "other special needs"
They require 7 days notice - email / phone contact are on that page. (also click on 'we're here to help' for instructions and info on arrival in the UK)

There's also help available at Gatwick (presuming that is where she is going to)http://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the...re-you-travel/ and also http://www.gatwickairport.com/at-the...-disabilities/ but you need to book it 24 hours in advance.

Pollyana

The Uk definitely doesn't ask for anything from a doctor, and I've had wheelchair assistance from Emirates simply by phoning and requesting it. Australia doesn't need doctor's authority either.

Generally you will be the first to board, and the last to disembark. The wheelchair will take you right to the aircraft door, via any shops etc that you want to visit. If you want to use a Lounge they can drop you there then collect you for the flight. Your passenger record is marked all the way through so that all the crew both on the ground and in the air know that you are an assisted traveller.

Wheelchair assistance at Gatwick was excellent when I used it, very helpful, and wheeled me right through arrivals to find the people meeting me. That was also arranged by the airline, so Air Transat may do that as well.

DandNHill

I've recently been taking under age students to Pearson to fly back to their homes.
AC has a set up where anybody who needs assistance can go to a waiting area to then be accompanied by staff right to the plane.
My students went that way but on one of my trips I saw a lady in a wheelchair there too. It cost no extra for my students so I'm assuming it would be the same for people with disabilities.

You might want to call Air Transat ahead of time to see what they can do.

Zoe Bell

At Pearson, air transat has a dedicated check in desk for people requiring extra assistance.
i found them to be massively helpful when my wheelchair bound father was travelling

the only downside is that the extra assistance desk is right next to the "families with a stupid number of children " desk.

bats

My mother used Air Transat from Gatwick to Pearson often and was happy with the help she received. They don't do much, if anything for you, on the flight. Gatwick staff are helpful and Pearson especially so. We found Heathrow wasn't too good, they just left her different places without attempting to explain to her what was happening. (She's deaf and has a dodgy knee) . Air Canada have been the most helpful on the flight.

Pollyana