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Hmmmm…. not sure I wanted to know…
https://wheelchairtravel.org/top-4-causes-of-wheelchair-damage-on-flights/
wheelchairtravel.org
Top 4 Causes of Wheelchair Damage on Flights - Wheelchair Travel
Understanding why airlines damage wheelchairs is key to preventing it — these are the top 4 reasons why wheelchairs get damaged on flights.
8 Comments-
My last experiences flying were terrible, a lot of damages in my wheelchair even that they stored in a cargo container. Even after several warnings and sharing about past incidents, no solution, it always happens.
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Oh no! Did the airline pay for repairs?
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On all occasions, only once was paid and it was ANA: they gave me new batteries and I wouldn’t even credit 100% their fault. For all other episodes, they never paid. The last time it was my air cushion that got a hole and I couldn’t even repair it.
Anyway, it’s always very stressful every single time they break something.-
I started taking pictures of my wheelchair from different angles before flying because, after being damaged, I was told “it was already like this” 😒
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It all comes down to a lack of respect for us. They see us and think we’ll just take having our broken vital equipment ‘as is’. They don’t realize that we will speak up. I’ve chewed out ground crews for joking that my wheelchair wasn’t at the jetway yet because it was damaged or lost. (I do this by asking if they like having a job. They shut up right away.)
While this article focuses just on the States, our wheelchairs need to be handled properly no matter where we go, whether it’s Seattle, Tokyo, Cape Town, Copenhagen, or anywhere in the world.
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True on both points! It can be so exhausting after a long flight, but it must be dealt with ASAP, even for minor damage. They need to realize that we will bring it up and fight it every single time and that it is cheaper to take care of our mobility devices!
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Plus, it saves the airlines money AND brings in more profit when they don’t damage our chairs. I’ve had some tell me they won’t fly because of the potential damage.
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I can understand that. It is a horrible inconvenience if it happens on your return flight coming home, but if you are going somewhere you are not familiar with – where do you even go! And it isn’t just repairs, if your chair etc is damaged when you arrive at your destination, your whole trip could be ruined – who will pay for THAT!
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