Category: Daily Living
What are your best tips for navigating and getting assistance in an airport?
I don't travel much anymore and talking to a friend the other day, she was telling me what a pain she finds it.
What are your experiences and travel survival guides? *smile*
Hopefully, we'll get responce from both cane and guide dog users.
Hellow, I am a cane user and have only travelled by plane once. Here in the UK, you have to book sighted assistance in advance after you've booked your flight. I'm not sure if that is through the airline company or the airport itself, because someone did it for me back in July last year. I think the sighted assistance is very helpful here in England, but not so good in Cyprus. Mind you, here whoever is taking you to the airport would probably have to stay round for a bit because you have to wait 2 hours or so for the flight time, unless of course you don't mind staying in 1 place for ages. The people on the planes are quite helpful too.
Hope this helps.
Before I got my guide dog, they used to put me in a wheelchair. Now, I just tell them to walk in front of me and my dog does a good job of following them and also I have some vision so that helps.
If you're not a dog user, get assistance all the way through from check-in to the gate, then on the plane. They'll let you preboard so you're not tripping over everyone and such wonderment, and the process should be just fine. When connecting, just get more assistance, and at the termination, they'll even help you to get your luggage.
I just ask for assistance when I check in at the ticket counter. I'm a cane user, but absolutely will not sit in a wheelchair. I just hold on to the person's arm, and walk with them. Sometimes I pre-board, sometimes I don't, depending on the situation. It's usually easier to do it, though. Most airline people are friendly and helpful. I've had the occasional jerk, or the person who can't speak any English, and that's very frustrating, but it's life. It usually depends on what airport you're in. Some airports are better than others. When I get to my destination, I can usually make it up the jetway and into the terminal myself, but need assistance from there.
Also, keep in mind, if you're having a friend or family member take you to the airport, they can get a special pass to walk back to the gate with you. that way it's one less leg of the trip that you have to get assistance from the airlines.
I used to fly every weekend a few years back and still fly a fair bit, so few thoughts:
It's not 100% necessary to boo assistance via the airlines, somehow most of the time, these special assistance requests seem to disappear in their systems, they're still obligated to help you.
If a family member wants to help you he/she should come in with you, with a valid driver's license and as little metal in their pockets as possible, they'll have to do screening with you and same rules apply for them (i.e. all things metal are inspected, no liquids etc), if they do not plan to accompany you the sooner they drop you off the better. The airlines will insist on someone accompanying you since it's eaier for them, so if they do not have time or money for parking they should not walk you all the way to the counter to avoid the awkwardness of refusing the airline's request. I've generally preferred to be dropped off in the outside location and have people help me from there (shorter lines, if weather is decent it can be quicker, I am referring to curb side check in).
90% of the time I get excellent help and assistance. I think you should offer a dollar or two tip to the person who helps you, it depends on the airport if they're paid or live mostly of tips but a dollar or two won't hurt and sometimes they say no. Only at American Airlines in New York did a guy refuse to help me because I did not want to sit in a wheel chair. The assistant from my connecting airline helped me to the gate, but beware of this, if there's absolute insistance you may want to give in and send an angry letter to the airline afterwards. Also be prepared to wait at the gate for a long time, don't expect the person dropping you off there to have time to take you around shopping and eating, may be a sandwich on the way but minimize their troubles, they're often very busy and often speak very bad English, even in the States, so keep confusion to a minimum. I try to show up no more than 90 minuts before departure to minimize wait time, but some peopl are more nervous about flying and missing the plane, I've shown up 15 minutes before flight and made it, although I do not recommend the practice. Before your assistant sits you down at the gate ask him orher to take you to the gate agent and make them aware of your presence. This way you make sure to be preboarded and picked up where you sit in the waiting area.
If connecting ask a flight attendant during previous flight to make sure assistance is available, you may even ask to sit in a front-ish row if connection is tight and you need assistance. Bring a fully charged MP3 player and lots of patience, do not expect the luxury of shopping, bring a little money for tips, be polite, talk to gate agent before sitting down to wait and you'll be fine. I've occasionally even gotten a free alcoholic beverage, even first classupgrae once or twice, so being blind isn't always a bad thing. Don't expect such luxury treatment but no use refusing the chance if it comes up. Best of luck.
cheers
-B
p.s. Feel free to post with experiences of different air lines assistance. On scale of 1 to 5 I'd give American 1 (extremely rude and unhelpful), Southwest definitely 5, Iceland Air a pue 5 (they always let me wait in their first class lounge when I'm travelling by myself), U.S. Airways would get a 4, very nice people, Jet Blue 3, a bit slow but helpful, not very rude at all. In terms of assistance in different airports I've had best assistance in Charlotte, Houston, Pitsburg and Raleigh, Detroit you need to tip to get best assistance, they do not get paid well. I had good experience in Nashville but Chicago was a bit slow although I made it fine, in L.A. the people did not speak a wordof English, Seattle they were very hard to understand and ditto for San Fran. New Yorkers are awfully rude, I avoid connecting through JFK when I can, UK is nice, both Heathro and Gatwick, Frankfurt was good, although a little german can take you a long way. Generally European airlines and airports give you better assistance and more time, free soda and even a few minutes of shopping offerred (Iceland Air, BA, SAS at least)
Thanks for such great response!
Wildebrew, that was very thorough, I appreciate it.
Over time, we may build our own travel guide on the zone. Though, each situation seems inconsistent. So many factors that come into play.
Ya know, a gps sort of device for airport sure would be handy.
Wildebrew, probably the worst assistance I've had is with either United, or Northwest. Southwest Airlines has provided excellent customer service to me every time, as has Frontier Airlines.
I've always found that the airlines like it better when I have someone already there to assist me to the gate. And, call me stubborn, but I refuse to sit in the wheelchair. I remember once when a person was going to refuse me assistance because I wouldn't, a fellow passenger intervened, and I walked to the gate with her.
Speaking of passengers, that often happens, too. A friendly fellow traveler will often see me waiting on airline assistance, or get to know me on the plane, and we'll just walk to the gate or baggage claim together, etc.
I think the most troublesome thing is if you have a long wait, and they just ant to leave you at the gate, it gets boring. But it seems if you want to go maybe to have a drink or eat, it seems to always create problems. I had great help with northwest, and delta. I don't like the wheelchair thing either, but sometimes I personally found its better to just ride than argue about it. If given the chance I like to walk especially after a long flight.
Well, there are pros and cons to attaching yourself to a fellow passenger. It's really nice on the one hand, on the other hand if there's any sort of trouble and you leave the plane with the passenger things can get tricky. For instance a guy walked me through once but then told me he had to rush. My luggage was probably the last bag off the plane so after waiting with me for 5 minutes after getting his luggage he had to go and it was a pain in the butt to get anyone to help me find my luggage and such. Which brings me to the one point I did forget to make. If you can travel super light and with as few check ins as possible, plese do so. If you do check in bags, be sure they are labelled correctly, that you know exactly what they look like and ideally do something to make them stand out, such as put brightly colored tape or sticker on them. I've found it the most frustrating partof travelling, waiting for my luggage. The airline people often just wait till your bag is the only one left because they're not sure exactly what it looks like, unless you're very specific with the description and you make sure it stands out.
Very true, Wildebrew. I've heard making your bags stand out in some way is helpful even to sighted travelers, as so many pieces of luggage look the same now. Audible luggage locators can be nice, too. They're useless when you travel to something like a Convention, because so many people have them. But when it's just yourself traveling, they can come in handy.
I have flown a few times from Orlando to Buffalo. On every trip through US Air I had no problems at all. When booking my own tickets to come home in the middle of schooling I just checked disabled when booking and was fine. My girlfriend brought me to the gate everytime when leaving and also I refused to ride in a wheel chair as well. I sort of think it has to do with the person traveling too for what kind of experience they will have.
Audible luggage locators? i've never seen one of those. How do they work?
They're remote control devices. You attach one end to your luggage, and keep the other piece with you. When you're looking for your luggage on the baggage carousel, you can push the button on the remote that is with you, and it will make the locator attached to your luggage start making sounds, usually beeping noises. That way you can hear it.
I need to buy one of those.
It would be cool, if you could create your own custom sound for the luggage locator. Like cell phone ringtones.
Lol, can you imagine: hey, I'm here, pick me up! Pick me up blindo! Something goofy! Hehehehe!
where can you get those audible luggage locators? I think that would be great even for sighted people. Thanks!!!
Hi.
I also like the luckage locator thing. It sounds very usefull.
I traveled a lot of times on my own from Cyprus to England and the other way round and in England the assistance stuff is very well trained and i didn't have any problems with them but in Cyprus most of the times i get ignorant people who either want to put me on a wheel chair, or they refuce to let me go down from the plane from the steps and i have to wait for a special lift to arrive which takes down all the wheel chairs etc.
But in England i had very good assistance at Manchester airport, hithrow, and stansted.
I haven't bought any of the audible locators in a long time, so my info may be out of date. But I know you could get them from NFB's Independence Market, from places like Independent Living Aids, I think, and even from some state rehab agencies. For example, the Iowa Department for the Blind has an Aids and Devices store, and that's where I got mine.
are they reasonably priced?
Quite honestly, Joanne, I got mine so long ago, I don't remember how much I paid for it. My bad.
The only time I ask for assistance is if I am in a big hurry, but otherwise, i try and get there with enough time to spare. I've had different experiences in the airport, and a lot of them were not good, but I personally like to try and do things as independently as possible. Having had training etc has helped me a lot in this area, and though it hasn't been easy to get those people off me, (it makes me angry just thinking about it), I still try and fight my way through. I've actually missed a flight once because I was given wrong directions, but that was not my fault. I dont feel like anyone is obligated to do anything unless you ask for it, nor are they more responsible for you as a blind person. I am totally blind, my family drops me off outside, I navigate on my own. That's how I prefer, that's how I'll always do it! i dont need help. Sometimes if i'm in an unfamiliar area, i might ask for directions and someone might walk with me, in which case, I follow them, no need to hold on to anyone. Of course, it's different for everyone, but I encourage that those of you who require assistance to try and come out of your shell a little, because I think it's important for people in the airline etc to realize us blind people are not helpless. Of course, it is my opinion, but you have to keep in mind, people in the airline are busy, and even though that is what they are there for, it's best to try and depend on them as little as possible. To the original poster, or anyone who cares to listen, I suggest you consult your O and M instructor, because just as much as in anything else, I feel it is important to try and be as independent as possible in this too. It can happen, but you have to be willing, and if there isn't enough blind people who do this on their own, no wonder those people keep following me! I strongly encourage trying to do things on their own, it can happen, just takes practice. Try it once, you just might like it!
A couple of otherthings I didn't mention:
1. You don't have to be able to see to walk on your own. I learned that back in 2005, when i attended my first tabs convention. I am a cane user, by the way.
2. I do pre-board. I find it easier to be able to get through and find my own seat, and be able to pick out the seat I want, without running into all those people in the way. I have even been told that pre-boarding makes you look even more helpless, but I personally don't particularly mind that aspect because since I walk down on my own, I like to get on there before all the traffic.
Hey, I am pretty independent but walking alone in an airport would sort of freak me so I givbe you props for being so independent.
I admire you for your views. However, I don't believe someone who seeks assistance is any the less independent than you are. They simply choose to do it differently.
I, personally, disagree with the, having to be independent all the time, view. Being independent takes a lot of energy and a lot of time and I believe sometimes that time is better spent on other things. I'd rather prepare for an exam in the airport than spend an hour trying to find my gate. People who wonder around aimlessly with a cane do not look particularly independent either really. So, sure I give you props for this, but I disagree with your methods. For one thing, when you are connecting and go by yourself it's not the airline's fault if you miss your second flight because you couldn't find the gate, if you accept their assistance and you miss it, they'll be way more likely to put you up in a hotel or find you a different flight without penalties. Making you their responsibility insures you that you get there, and when I travel I want to get from A to B, not to look independent at airports, it's not what my life will be judged by, my character nor my independence. So I do politely disagree with this approach of yours and think people should consider it twice before they miss flights because they want to be independent, but I do give you props for being gutsy enough to do it. I've found a gate a few times on my own, either when I am in a very familiar airport (Detroit, I went there almost weekly for a year or more) or if I hve wayy too much time on my hand (ask to be dropped off at a restaurant, have a meal and then make my way to the gate with a cane).
But, ech to his, or her, own. I still think relying on the airline is the smarter choice here, especially when getting somewhere on time is very important and, well, when we're flying, isn't that the case most of the time?
cheers
-B
Well, wanting to do things independently doesn't mean you have to spend an hour finding your gate, either. That's where asking for directions comes in handy. And sure, everyone does it their own way.
i am planning to travel to europe during the summer as my cery first experience.
i am traveling there with my school for a study tour in which i get college credits which i really need to graduate.
i am worried about traveling in an unfamiliar country.
I would consider my cane use as average.
the only problem is taking longer to get used to the different environment.
any suggestions when it comes to this?
see, my concern is going to eat out of the hotel when i travel for the first time.
i want to study abroad an don't know what to do.
plz reply.
my big problem here is identifying my luggage here since i can't aford to buy the luggage locators.
Well, as for the luggage, make sure you know what your luggage looks like, make sure you know what the tags your airline puts on it looks like, ask them to put priority tags ifthey can, they tend to be a more destinctive color, ask them to describe the tags to you and then describe it to the person who helps you find your luggage once you get there. You can even tie a little ribbon to the luggage in a bright color. Also make sure to ask them where they put your luggage ticket and keep it where you know it is, they can always use the code from that ticket to track down your luggage if it gets lost for any reason and they will ship it to your residence. To that end, try to make sure you got a change of clothing and all your essential in carry on i.e. any pills you may need to take, your money and such. Keep in mind the rstrictions for carrying liquids so taking things like tooth paste and such I am not sure exactly what the rules are, I always just check in any liquids I need.
Regarding the foreign country. Most countries in Europe have better services than the U.S. when it comes to the blind, more resources, state sponsorred, but sometimes less organized. I'd suggest you first decide where you want to study and get the application part done, then contact the blind association of the country and ask for assistance, also contact the school. Countries like Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, the UK, Spain and Germany all have pretty good blind organizations. Together with the school they might be able to arrange for O&M training for you or even an assistant that would help you out to begin with, the state often provides such help for residents of the countries and they might be able to do so as well for an exchange student who is blind.
It sounds scarier than it is, I'm pretty sure with minimal preparations, an open mind and not hesitating to ask for help you could have a great time in Europe.
cheers
-B
Hi I studied abroad in Vienna Austria in the late 90s. I did have asistance at the airports. When I caught my connecting flight in Atlanta, i had another student who was going to the same program as I was meet me there so that we could fly on the same international flight together. When you are in Europe, the public transpertation is much better there than it is in most of the U.S. One thing that you will need to be aware of is that they do have lil trains /trams that do have rails that go over sidewalks and around different places where we do not have as much in the U.S. I did have a dog when I went, and my host mother was also a blind dog guide user, so she was able to quickly orintate me to my serroundings, and things were very easy for me to find. I liked using the underground to get back and forth to class. My school did provide a modist stipend for a fellow student to assist me as were in Vienna durring class times when we took verious class excursions. I did take a short vacation to Germany, and it went well for the most part, but i did travel with another student. My best advice is to plan your trip abrod thurally before you get on the plane. And your school should have an international studies office. I was the first Blind/VI person to study abrod from my university. I hope this helps.