Gate-checking a mobility scooter?
October 7, 2015 9:50 AM Subscribe
Have you done this? The scooter in question disassembles into 4 parts. Delta is willing to let us gate-check it but is this a good idea?
How does TSA react to a scooter going through security? How do they examine it? Will it have to be disassembled by TSA? Or is it like a laptop, if it is working, it's ok?
What's the best way to keep the steering portion tied down so it doesn't arrive in bits and pieces?
Do you pick it up in the luggage area?
Will the battery be a problem?
When the trip was booked, the scooter was booked as well. Lots of questions were asked by Delta and Delta was willing to allow us to check it but had no information on HOW to do it.
Many thanks.
How does TSA react to a scooter going through security? How do they examine it? Will it have to be disassembled by TSA? Or is it like a laptop, if it is working, it's ok?
What's the best way to keep the steering portion tied down so it doesn't arrive in bits and pieces?
Do you pick it up in the luggage area?
Will the battery be a problem?
When the trip was booked, the scooter was booked as well. Lots of questions were asked by Delta and Delta was willing to allow us to check it but had no information on HOW to do it.
Many thanks.
We have gate checked a mobility scooter like yours. They carried the assembled scooter down to the cargo hold from the jet way. On one trip with a rented scooter a portion of the plastic was broken off in the process, and the scooter rental place filed a claim with the airline. The scooter is available at the jet way when you get off the plane.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 10:34 AM on October 7, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Midnight Skulker at 10:34 AM on October 7, 2015 [2 favorites]
The scooter I've flown with was a GoGo Traveler, which comes apart into several pieces for putting into the trunk of a car. I've never had to disassemble a scooter for gate-checking. They have me take the key with me and they unlock the wheels so they can push it by hand. The batteries are sealed so they're no problem.
TSA does not disassemble the scooter, although they do look at it. They generally swab it for explosives, as they do with wheelchairs. If you own your own scooter, try not to store it near any plant fertilizer between trips, for fear of generating a positive on the explosives test. Shouldn't be any problem otherwise. It's kind of a pain going through security, of course, as it is for anyone, but it works out okay.
I get an inspection tag attached to the scooter when I curb-check my suitcase and another tag when I get to the gate. Even if you already have your boarding pass, you still need to talk to the airline employee at the gate. You will be allowed to preboard the aircraft. If you are traveling with others, one person should be allowed to preboard with you.
Don't be in too much of a hurry to get off the plane when you land. If you're one of the first people off, you will probably have to wait for the scooter to be brought up to the door of the plane. Fortunately they usually have transfer chairs standing around so there is at least something to sit on.
When you get off the plane you may be exhausted from travel, but please stop for a moment once you get out into the terminal to check whether there is any damage to the scooter, even minor cosmetic damage. If there is any damage, it is much less trouble to get the airline to pay for it if you report it immediately. If you don't notice it until you get home, they're not going to believe that they did it, even if they did.
A backpack is handy for use as a carry-on, because you can slip its shoulder straps over the back of the seat of the scooter while you go through the airport, assuming that you have a scooter with a chair-like seat. I have a small basket on the front of the scooter to carry stuff, too. When I gate-check the scooter I then have to put all the contents of the basket into my carry-on backpack, but the basket can stay with the scooter.
posted by artistic verisimilitude at 1:02 PM on October 7, 2015
TSA does not disassemble the scooter, although they do look at it. They generally swab it for explosives, as they do with wheelchairs. If you own your own scooter, try not to store it near any plant fertilizer between trips, for fear of generating a positive on the explosives test. Shouldn't be any problem otherwise. It's kind of a pain going through security, of course, as it is for anyone, but it works out okay.
I get an inspection tag attached to the scooter when I curb-check my suitcase and another tag when I get to the gate. Even if you already have your boarding pass, you still need to talk to the airline employee at the gate. You will be allowed to preboard the aircraft. If you are traveling with others, one person should be allowed to preboard with you.
Don't be in too much of a hurry to get off the plane when you land. If you're one of the first people off, you will probably have to wait for the scooter to be brought up to the door of the plane. Fortunately they usually have transfer chairs standing around so there is at least something to sit on.
When you get off the plane you may be exhausted from travel, but please stop for a moment once you get out into the terminal to check whether there is any damage to the scooter, even minor cosmetic damage. If there is any damage, it is much less trouble to get the airline to pay for it if you report it immediately. If you don't notice it until you get home, they're not going to believe that they did it, even if they did.
A backpack is handy for use as a carry-on, because you can slip its shoulder straps over the back of the seat of the scooter while you go through the airport, assuming that you have a scooter with a chair-like seat. I have a small basket on the front of the scooter to carry stuff, too. When I gate-check the scooter I then have to put all the contents of the basket into my carry-on backpack, but the basket can stay with the scooter.
posted by artistic verisimilitude at 1:02 PM on October 7, 2015
My dad's power assist wheelchair has been damaged a number of times when gate checked, so absolutely check for damage as soon as you exit the plane. And they shouldn't have to disassemble anything; the last thing you want is for them to put it back together incorrectly.
posted by jesourie at 1:11 PM on October 7, 2015
posted by jesourie at 1:11 PM on October 7, 2015
A friend who uses a wheelchair told me a story about the time the airline took the chair apart and lost one of the axles. Proceed with caution.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 3:11 PM on October 7, 2015
posted by sevensnowflakes at 3:11 PM on October 7, 2015
Seconding artistic verisimilitude. We also recently gatechecked a GoGo Traveller on a transatlantic flight (Virgin) and that didn't need to be disassembled either and was happily waiting for us when we disembarked at the other end.
posted by Chairboy at 9:47 PM on October 7, 2015
posted by Chairboy at 9:47 PM on October 7, 2015
« Older Where can I get a job printing free posters? | Creating folders for photos based on EXIF data in... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kindall at 10:24 AM on October 7, 2015