Category: Let's talk
Hi, I am trying to book a holiday to granada, I am going with an organisation for blind people but I need to get to the East Midlands on my own. I have never flew on my own before I was wondering what is the best airline that helps blind people? I am thinking British Airways but they don't have any flights to the east midlands. Or maybe I am doing it wrong. I tried a new one it used to be called Brittish Midlands but I don't think they help people. They have cheep flights though. Any help would grately appreasated. Michelle
all airlines ae sopose to help.
But I've fount continental airlines to be very good.
Ryan Air. Their behaving like angels, now they've had a kick in the balls for tossing off the blind lads, for being over the quota.
No wonder the boss calls himself an obnoxious little bollocks.
And be glad your not in a chair, the number that go missing or get wrecked is unreal.I've spent many a flight thinking will I have to bum it through the place on my sexy Iirsh arse.
Stevie.
I traveled, when I was in school in New York, US Airways. They were very helpful and even offered me always manuels and minues in braille.
I traveled to Granada with Ryan air from Liverpool this Easter and i found them very helpfull. I don't know if they travel from east Midlans but the flight to Liverpool is direct. Good luck and i hope you enjoy Granada. It is very good.
I ment the flight from Liverpool is direct to Granada. Sorry. To go to Liverpool i traveled by train from Scarborough. I am sure you can get a train from your place to Liverpool or whatever airport you need to use. When i arrived to liverpool station i got a taxi to go to the airport and it took about 20 minutes from the station to the airport. Some airports like Manchester have got the train station insite them which would make things easier for you but i don't know if you can find flights to Granada from such airports. Good luck again.
I fly regularlly with a variety of airlines, from the tiny regional airlines in the UK, to large multi-million pound international airlines, and every time I fly, I fly alone. I've never had any trouble booking assistance with any airline. They are all legally bound to assist you both through the airport process at each end of your journey, and during the flight.
I usually call the booking helpline about a month before I fly to inform them of the special assistance I need, and they are always willing to help. If they refuse you assistance, you have a legal right to question their procedures. Some of the larger airlines have a special assistance helpline number, and they deal directly with your issues.
Just make sure you tell them all your requirements in plenty of time so they have the chance to get personell in place to provide the service you need. As I said above, about a month is usually long enough. Just ensure that when you check in at departures, you inform them that you have booked assistance, and the process will be kick started from that moment on until you leave the airport at the other end of your journey.
To put your mind at rest, I've flown about 10 times alone, and have never had any problems when following these simple steps.
Good luck
I also travel very often by airplane and always alone! But I need tell you something: I think the service that help blind people or other disabilities doesn't belong to airlines: this service is provided by the airports so it depends more on the airport that you take and not the airlines! Because when you are into a aircraft what they do for you doesn't have difference to other people! I already traveled alone for many countries and never had problems so don't worry about it: you just need tell to assistance when you arrive to the airport that you need help and everything goes well! Just enjoy your holidays and have fun!
Yes it is generally true, though not always, that it is specially set up companies at airports and not the airlines themselves that assist passengers through airports however, saying that probably confuses the issue slightly because the only salient point here is who to deal with, and that is the airline because regardless of who'll be providing the actual assistance, it'll be the airline that you travel with that will arrange things.
I, like moyzey, have done a heck of a lot of traveling both within, and without of the UK, much of it on my own, and have never had great difficulties in getting needed assistance. True to say that not every experience has been first rate, one particular journey with airlingus comes to mind when flying back to England from the States last year, however even then I made it without any life threatening incidents! *LOL*
Just make sure to contact whatever airline you choose to travel with, as moyzey says giving them as much prior notice as you can, and I have no doubt that all will go well.
Best of luck.
Just for the record, as others have already said, Ryanair are reasonably good with assisted travel in spite of the debacle they had a couple of years back when they ejected 9 wheelchair passengers off of one flight! *LOL*. I used to live in Northern Ireland and traveled back and forth to England every two or three months over about a three year period flying with Ryanair out of Dublin to Standstead and always found them to be good.
Hope at least some of that helps.
Dan.
I cannot be objective, as I work for US Airways. I do however, recommend them for all of your flight needs.
While the airport takes care of most assistance issues, the ball always begins rolling with the airline. Please let your airline know what assistance you might need on your trip. For blind folks, this is what we normally call a meet and assist. Remarks are put into each ticket, so don't be afraid to tell the airline specifics. You might need to let the ticket counter agent that you've requested special assistance. They can read the remarks the agent over the phone wrote, and this speeds up the process. You should never be charged for this feature, and at least in the US of A, wheelchair requests and meet and assists are guaranteed.
Hope this helps.
You are right to say it is not the airline themselves who provide the assistance within the airport, but they do arange it so you still need to contact them to make sure the help you need is in place. I just left out this minor detail in my earlier post to avoid any confusion.
I'm glad US Airways have a good assistance program because I am due to fly with them twice in a little over 6 weeks. *smiles*.
i travel every year on my own to france with british airways, they are very good actually. someone actually sits with you on the plain. i also like easyjet, they arange everything really nicely, and you get transport to the aircraft
I certainly hope that
American air lines does the same as far as assistance. All i would need is assistants to the gate and on to the plane and if there is a change which that coud be difficult I would need someone to direct me to the gate where I get my plane.
lucky for me, i've never had to change aircrafts. i have always gone straight to my destination
I had to change once. I went from Manchester to Hithrow and then i got another plain there to go to Cyprus. There wasn't a problem with that. I had assistance. But asking the ariline in advance and make sure they provide assistance it is the most important thing to do.
OK comments and a question here. Firstly the comments. Every time I fly to see charisma I fly KLM to Amsterdam, then Northwest from Amsterdam to Seatac. KLM are fantastic both on the plane and in Skipol. I fly from Cardiff, and those guys are damn good too on the whole. NW on the plane... must've had an off day the first time I flew, but ever since have gotten better, (I even, like another poster, got braille information, and guides on the plane etc). In the airport at Seatac... hmm, that's hit and miss. The last time, flying back to the UK, and come to think of it, once I hit the ground in the US, the guys in the airport were about as communicative as a bloody house brick. Upshot, on the whole there's not a whole lot to worry about when flying on your own, as long, as many of us have said, as you let 'em know in advance that you'll need help, and what kind of help you'll need. You are dealing with human beings though, and we ar apt to bugger things up occasionally, so it's as well to bear that in mind.
Secondly the question, OjosDeMiCorazon, you work for an airline? What do you do? I'm looking to go somewhere else from where I am ATM, and did think of going for a job with Northwest. Cheers, tl