Disabled niece wanting to travel to Australia

[cris r]

Hi anyone travelled long distance in a wheelchair. My niece is twenty years old she has a pen pal in Australia who has invited her over for a holiday. She has osteoarthritis. She can manover in and out of her chair no problem. She sent her mother into the travel agents to find out if and who she could fly with they have said as long as she can get out of her seat and into her chair for the toilet she can travel on her own. Her family have so many concerns for her but she seems adamant she is going. I have been to Australia and It was a hard journey and i dont remember the toilet being that private ( getting in and out of the wheelchair ) anyone had this experience would be grateful for advice, also wondering about insurance

[237SJ]

It`s pretty unusual to have a full 747 flight without wheelchair passengers. There are always 1 or 2 (unless it`s an Indian flight then there are about 20)! If she can self-lift and self-toilet then she can travel alone. If it`s a decent carrier they will try to get her own wheelchair in the cabin and if not, it will go in the hold. If she needs to go to the loo and can`t walk from her seat there should be an onboard wheelchair (it`s narrow enough for the aisles) and the crew will assist in getting her there. She won`t be able to sit by an overwing exit or on the upper deck on a 747 for obvious reasons. Wheelchair passengers tend to be seated on the aisle.

[cris r]

Thanks for the advice :)

[DTCwordfan]

Good on her for wanting to do this......she probably wants to demonstrate her independence. Encourage it very strongly if she can technically do it. It's all about living by herself eventually, or as best she can.....

[EDDIE51]

A work colleague was a wheel chair bound wife, he recommends British Airways for travel , they have done several long haul flights and she has travelled alone as well
Here is the link to BAs disability help , they say wheel chairs are no problem

http://www.britishair...anceinfo/public/en_gb

[EDDIE51]

Should have read 'has' a wheel chair bound wife, sorry

[sasskins]

I don't need this service presently, but it's heartening to know it can happen.

[EDDIE51]

This is the official government web site for disabled travel, it says you need to use an airport wheel chair to actually get on the plane but he BA site says ou can use your own chair all the way. Anyway it is not a problem.
http://www.direct.gov...ttingThere/DG_4017239