We booked our long-overdue trip to Zambia back in October. We thought a short holiday before then would help show us how flying with a wheelchair in tow would go. We got talking to Mum, and we all decided we’d like to go to Edinburgh. I took my Freedom DE08L chair with me. It could fit in the smaller aircraft used for internal flights. My intention is that I will take this to Zambia in April.
I was so nervous about being told I couldn’t take the chair when we got to check-in. This was despite the previous assurances from the airline. I’m pleased to say all went well. The staff were amazing, both at Southampton airport and on the plane. We packed my chair up at check-in and took the lithium batteries off to carry with us. Lithium batteries cannot go in the hold. They put me in a wheelchair and I was wheeled through security. No argument when I said I can’t be scanned. They manually searched me, ensuring I was comfortable as they asked me to move around to pat down my back etc. I was then whisked through to the departure gate. Unfortunately Ruth and Mum were left to answer questions about what was in my carry-on medical bag! 😯
When we were ready to board, they took the three of us out to the ambulift, and up to the door of the aircraft. I then manually transferred to my seat – a mere few steps from the door. On arrival in Edinburgh we were asked to wait while the rest of the passengers alighted. We were then taken in the ambulift to the back door of baggage reclaim where my chair was waiting.
Edinburgh was wonderful. However, the cobbled streets made me realise the suspension of the Freedom chair is not a match for that of the Stretto power chair. It left me wondering if the chair would be ok for Zambia. We can address that in the coming weeks. One negative about Edinburgh is that there are a lot of shops and restaurants that are not exactly wheelchair friendly. Either because they have steps at the entrance, or they simply don’t allow space inside to manoeuvre a wheelchair. One aspect that was very accommodating was the tour buses.
The return flight was equally as smooth as the outbound had been. This time they left me in my own chair right to the ambulift. Only then did they take my chair off to go in the hold. When we landed in Southampton the Loganair cabin crew were most apologetic for making us wait whilst the ambulift was in use for another plane. Hardly their fault, and I don’t think we were delayed by more than 10-15 minutes. When it arrived, I was put into a wheelchair and wheeled through to baggage reclaim. When we got there, I was asked if I wanted to transfer to my chair. Alternatively, they could take it back to the car for me. Then, I would be taken back to the car in the airport wheelchair. Since I would have to collapse the chair again to put it in the car, it made sense to do that. The two staff assisting were so helpful.