Flying with a mobility scooter or wheelchair. Useful tips.

In Today's post, we would like to give you some useful tips when traveling by plane with your mobility scooter or wheelchair.

The first thing you should know is that the airline is required to check- in free of charge your wheelchair or electric mobility scooter. The assistance service at the airport is also free of charge.

It is important to communicate to the airline your limited mobility with a minimum of 48h. both to check-in your device and to assist you at the airport. If you booked your flight through a travel agent or tour operator, they should report their disabilities directly to the airline.

Once in the airport, try to arrive at least 2 hours prior to flight departure. If you bring a wheelchair or electric mobility scooter, you can use before checking in. The airport will provide a wheelchair to take you to the plane. It is very important that before checking-in you check your wheelchair or scooter is ready for the trip. This means that the individual parts like batteries, must be removed. For your information, they can only be loaded upright wheelchairs (electric) and electric scooters for the disabled (86 cm high maximum). If the height of your wheelchair exceeds 86 cm, it will be loaded in a horizontal position. After the flight you will get your wheelchair or scooter on the belt at the arrivals hall.

Useful information when transporting your wheelchair or scooter:

a) wheelchair without battery - You can leave your folding wheelchair in the check-in. It will be transported in the cargo hold.

b) electric wheelchairs battery - Airlines will take electric wheelchairs with wet or dry batteries. You can indicate this when reporting to your airline. If your wheelchair does not exceed 86 cm high, can be loaded vertically. It is important that you check the conditions for batteries check-in. It is recommended that your electric wheelchair or scooter is equipped with "gel cell" or "dry batteries". "Wet" batteries, such as those used in automobiles must be avoided.

c) Single-mobility electric scooters can carry just one electric scooter for disabled people per flight. Try to communicate this during the reservation. Only if your electric scooter does not exceed 86 cm. high, it can be loaded vertically. It is important that you check the conditions for batteries check-in. It is recommended that your electric wheelchair or scooter is equipped with "gel cell" or "dry batteries". "Wet" batteries, such as those used in automobiles must be avoided.

Mobility scooter check-in:
Travelers who check-in their mobility scooters should assume that any member of the airline staff will be appointed to take your scooter to the aircraft hold. To protect your scooter from damage, we recommend that before giving the scooter to airline staff, put some masking tape on top of the throttle control to ensure the throttle control in the lowest position. This tape should say "Do not remove." Make sure your key is secure the scooter. Using a cable (such as those used in fishing tackle), for fixing the key. Do not use rubber band or elastic strap to secure the scooter key. Do not wear removable baskets and cushions that are likely to be lost.

Power Wheelchairs:
Travelers checking-in electric wheelchairs should assume that any member of the airline staff will take the chair to the aircraft hold. We suggest that you indicate the staff to avoid any porter drive your precious and expensive wheelchair thorugh the airport. Shift the transmission to "neutral" so that it can be easily pushed. Disconnect the battery connection between your chair and battery and place a small piece of electrical tape on both ends of the connector. Better yet, if the power cord is removed easily carry with you in your hand luggage.

If the "joystick" can be easily removed, the better. Take it with you on the plane. In any case, this is to prevent damage to the joystick. A joystick without protection is very likely to be damaged.

We recommend you make your reservation, where possible, with seven days notice and in any event at least 48 hours before starting your trip. This way you can ensure that the assistance you require is available, as well as your seat on the plane, since aviation regulations limit the number of disabled people who can travel on a plane for security reasons and depending on the type of aircraft. The request for assistance as well as notification of their needs should be made through the following channels:

1. Necessarily through booking channels available from your airline or your travel agent at time of booking or purchasing a ticket. Once the reservation is made, it is important that you check that your support request has been reflected in it. If only communicates through this channel at the airport should address some of the points and announce your arrival.
2. Additionally and optionally, can be performed on the request for assistance via telephone Information Service and Call Centre (902 404 704) Aena airport. If you so require, in processing the application through the channels provided by Aena, you will receive confirmation of your request. This notice is only valid for assistance at Spanish airports in the Aena network. Upon a request for assistance through the channels provided by Aena, you must choose a meeting to be addressed to your arrival at the airport.

Both airports Aena as in other European airports there will be meeting points clearly marked both inside and outside terminal buildings (car park, sidewalk arrival, check-in area), in which people with disabilities or mobility Guests can, with ease, announce their arrival at the airport and request assistance.

If you told your airline needs when traveling, you need not do anything more. The airline will inform airports Aena network, so that they can have the human and material resources to assist You through the airport until you board the aircraft. At the airport, you should contact the nearest meeting point and warn of their arrival. A service person will come to seek support and assist you from invoicing until you are sitting in your airplane seat.

In addition to its communication to the airline so you can ask the help desk at the airport over the phone Aena 902 404 704. In this case, at the time of your arrival at the airport, you should go and introduce yourself in the point concerted meeting when arranged in your application and notify your arrival.

The scope of the service of assistance referred to in Regulation 1107 to 1106 ranges from the meeting point of the departure airport to your seat on board the plane your seat plane to the meeting point of the arrival airport. Therefore, the staff assisting people with reduced mobility is not required to help you get on your mode of transportation (taxi, bus, private car, etc.). However, such personnel may leave you very close to it, because in all airports there is a meeting point near to all means of transport.

Mobility scooters rental for your trip:
If you're traveling to Madrid and you need to extend your mobility Hire an electric scooter at Accessible Madrid . Accessible Madrid offers home delivery service for electric scooter rentals in Madrid. If you are a disabled traveler, and you will be visiting Madrid, Madrid contact Accessible Madrid (www.accessiblemadrid.com). We are happy to help you with your accessible holidays in Madrid. Try our wide range of accessible services (transfers adapted van, accessible tours in Madrid, etc). We also offer accessible tours and excursions to Toledo, Segovia, El Escorial, Aranjuez, etc, always departing from Madrid.

We hope you find these tips helpful. Accessible Madrid offers a professional and specialized service on electric mobility scooters sales