Wheelchair assistance, mobility impaired and duty of care question
May 28, 2024, 11:05 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2024
Programs: Lowly Marriott Gold, AA Gold(OW Ruby)
Posts: 163
Wheelchair assistance, mobility impaired and duty of care question
80 y-o traveller mother, in town for a graduation) travelling solo is booked in Award F for a flight from DFW to GPT on AA. Checkin online, assistance note is there, requested when booking. She can walk short distances relatively well (500 feet or so) and longer distances with support (500-1000 ft or so), but it makes more sense to request and use a wheelchair in the airport environment.
Arrived at DFW at 1850 for a 2104 departure, and made the short walk from 1 hour parking to the AA Counter just inside the doors. Confirmed, new Boarding Pass, and wheelchair with pusher arrives quickly. She’s taken to E34A, where the pusher attempts to have her surrender the wheelchair so he can leave, but there are no restrooms within easy transit and she asks to retain the wheelchair until boarding (as at GPT inbound, wheeled down to door and then a short walk to seat minimizes her boarding time). All well and good, except then the place clears out, no AA personel Or service assistance nearby and she gets a Gate change notice to E35A, which isn’t a mile away, but she could use assistance, and seems to have been forgotten. Seems the inbound flight has diverted to SPS and a new aircraft is on plan.
15 minutes later and I’m getting ready to drive back to DFW to advise counter staff of an abandoned passenger when a helpful young man notices her predicament and helps roll her to E35A, where she parks in from of the Gate desk until they note she’s there. 5 minutes later, the AA agent from 34A belatedly comes up and apologizes for the mix-up that caused her to be left alone. I had tried the services number, and was on hold for 5 minutes while being told expect a 30 minute wait, when it announced the services were closed for the day and hung up on me…I tried the chat, and was told a 2 hour delay.
Meanwhile, a pregnant lady collapses and they ask my mother if they can use her wheelchair rather than wait for another, which she agrees to immediately. They tell her a replacement is on the way, and wheel off the lady. An hour later, no replacement wheelchair yet, and she has to get the Gate agent to call again for one so she can visit a restroom. Flight now delayed until 0004 (another lie, but I digress).
Finally called to board, and they tell her that her roll on bag can’t go on the CRJ-900 and must be Gate checked. It’s a very small (about 2/3 carry on sizer when checked, and was OK’d at the counter when we asked…), but “We don’t allow bags with wheels on them.” Now this bag doubles as her walking support, so that’s pretty crappy, but those are the rules…or are they. She sits and watches rolling bags pour on the plane, before a 0030 departure.
Questions:
-Aren’t they supposed to keep track of special assistance guests during Gate changes a bit better than this?
-I understand the CRJ’s have smaller overhead bins, but “no bags with wheels” to a mobility impaired F passenger and then Y passenger pouring on with wheeled bags?
Arrived at DFW at 1850 for a 2104 departure, and made the short walk from 1 hour parking to the AA Counter just inside the doors. Confirmed, new Boarding Pass, and wheelchair with pusher arrives quickly. She’s taken to E34A, where the pusher attempts to have her surrender the wheelchair so he can leave, but there are no restrooms within easy transit and she asks to retain the wheelchair until boarding (as at GPT inbound, wheeled down to door and then a short walk to seat minimizes her boarding time). All well and good, except then the place clears out, no AA personel Or service assistance nearby and she gets a Gate change notice to E35A, which isn’t a mile away, but she could use assistance, and seems to have been forgotten. Seems the inbound flight has diverted to SPS and a new aircraft is on plan.
15 minutes later and I’m getting ready to drive back to DFW to advise counter staff of an abandoned passenger when a helpful young man notices her predicament and helps roll her to E35A, where she parks in from of the Gate desk until they note she’s there. 5 minutes later, the AA agent from 34A belatedly comes up and apologizes for the mix-up that caused her to be left alone. I had tried the services number, and was on hold for 5 minutes while being told expect a 30 minute wait, when it announced the services were closed for the day and hung up on me…I tried the chat, and was told a 2 hour delay.
Meanwhile, a pregnant lady collapses and they ask my mother if they can use her wheelchair rather than wait for another, which she agrees to immediately. They tell her a replacement is on the way, and wheel off the lady. An hour later, no replacement wheelchair yet, and she has to get the Gate agent to call again for one so she can visit a restroom. Flight now delayed until 0004 (another lie, but I digress).
Finally called to board, and they tell her that her roll on bag can’t go on the CRJ-900 and must be Gate checked. It’s a very small (about 2/3 carry on sizer when checked, and was OK’d at the counter when we asked…), but “We don’t allow bags with wheels on them.” Now this bag doubles as her walking support, so that’s pretty crappy, but those are the rules…or are they. She sits and watches rolling bags pour on the plane, before a 0030 departure.
Questions:
-Aren’t they supposed to keep track of special assistance guests during Gate changes a bit better than this?
-I understand the CRJ’s have smaller overhead bins, but “no bags with wheels” to a mobility impaired F passenger and then Y passenger pouring on with wheeled bags?
May 28, 2024, 11:21 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 15,047
DFW wheelchair assistance is bad. That's all I have to say without violating FT's terms of service. It's been bad for years, even pre-COVID, but has not improved post-COVID. It is not run by the airline but by a company called Prospect. And they stink to put it mildly.
It shouldn't have to happen, but I've had luck getting AA's attention during travel to get help by Direct Messaging AA using Twitter. The other option, sadly it doesn't help when completely abandoned at the gate, but if there is an agent and she's having trouble getting assistance, tell her to ask for the CRO (Customer Resolution Officer). Every airline must have one on duty and available at all times to deal with access issues. For post trip, please call 800-892-3624 and report the specific issues with assistance at DFW.
Re: the wheeled carry on, she must've been flying PSA whose operating procedures do not allow for wheeled roll aboards in the cabin. Only thing I can guess with the later people is that the gate agents just gave up to get the flight out. While frustrating, it's not worth complaining about (focus on the assistance issues). Instead of relying on the suitcase for support which can shift and move, may I suggest a cane - I use a folding one during travel so it can go in my personal item. And then I have support when walking on the plane as well.
It shouldn't have to happen, but I've had luck getting AA's attention during travel to get help by Direct Messaging AA using Twitter. The other option, sadly it doesn't help when completely abandoned at the gate, but if there is an agent and she's having trouble getting assistance, tell her to ask for the CRO (Customer Resolution Officer). Every airline must have one on duty and available at all times to deal with access issues. For post trip, please call 800-892-3624 and report the specific issues with assistance at DFW.
Re: the wheeled carry on, she must've been flying PSA whose operating procedures do not allow for wheeled roll aboards in the cabin. Only thing I can guess with the later people is that the gate agents just gave up to get the flight out. While frustrating, it's not worth complaining about (focus on the assistance issues). Instead of relying on the suitcase for support which can shift and move, may I suggest a cane - I use a folding one during travel so it can go in my personal item. And then I have support when walking on the plane as well.
May 28, 2024, 11:28 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2024
Programs: Lowly Marriott Gold, AA Gold(OW Ruby)
Posts: 163
Jul 2, 2024, 5:50 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: IAD
Programs: United MP
Posts: 7,842
..
Questions:
-Aren’t they supposed to keep track of special assistance guests during Gate changes a bit better than this?
-I understand the CRJ’s have smaller overhead bins, but “no bags with wheels” to a mobility impaired F passenger and then Y passenger pouring on with wheeled bags?
Questions:
-Aren’t they supposed to keep track of special assistance guests during Gate changes a bit better than this?
-I understand the CRJ’s have smaller overhead bins, but “no bags with wheels” to a mobility impaired F passenger and then Y passenger pouring on with wheeled bags?
2. I avoid CRJs so can’t really help there.