Flying in the Blumil style is all about experiencing the freedom, and defying the limits. For many people, accessible traveling seems like nothing but a beautiful dream – wonderful in theory, impossible in practice. Things couldn’t be further from the truth. Is every travel destination accessible? Absolutely not. Is wheelchair friendly traveling possible? Absolutely yes! Throughout the years, I’ve visited numerous places (South Africa, Shanghai, USA, Spain, and Kenya to name a few) with my wheelchair alongside, and I had a wonderful time. Since Blumil entered my life, traveling has become easier. Sometimes I have to be extremely careful, sometimes numerous bumps in pavement give me a headache, but the abundance of wonders I stumble upon makes up for every inconvenience. As flying is often the best travel option, I would like to share my experience of flying… in the Blumil style! Things you should know, procedures to remember, tips to make life easier – everything’s waiting for you below!
5 things you should know about flying with an electric wheelchair
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Electric wheelchair Blumil can be safely transported by plane
First of all, one of the safety concerns regarding electric wheelchair is a battery. While some batteries could pose a threat (possible explosion for example), Blumil is prone to such problems. The dry Lithium Ion battery powering the Blumil electric wheelchair was created using high tech, and it doesn’t cause any short-circuit. You can simply disconnect it from the wheelchair using a key. Simple, right? Suddenly traveling with a wheelchair is easier than ever. In conclusion: electric wheelchairs like Blumil and planes go together very well.
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You can take Blumil onboard in every airline
Taking Blumil onboard shouldn’t cause you any additional costs. Sometimes you are allowed to transport two wheelchair free of charge, but it’s optional. Of course, informing the airline about your journey is necessary, so they are prepared to help you. Most of all, know your rights and be polite – airlines can be your friends if you play your cards right.
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Your assistance dog is welcome to fly with you – for free!
If your dog is a certified assistance dog, you can fly together for free. Your pet should be next to you and the other seat shouldn’t be taken, too. What I need to emphasize – your animal has to be certified. If you wish to know more about having an assistance dog and read about my Coco, just head to linked posts.
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You are either going to get to an airplane first or last
Depending on the airplane, wheelchair users are going to enter the airplane first or last. Everything depends on the procedures and the policy of the airline.
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Airplane crew is most often friendly and ready to provide you with extra blankets or assistance
While flight attendants are often busy and can’t assist you all the time, small assistance is possible. Extra blanket or pillows are probably just one question away. A bowl of water or animal food for your dog is not out of question too, but know that low-cost fares might not have it. If you never ask, you’ll never know, though!
Procedures on the airport
During our check-in, they will take our baggage and ask us whether we are going to need some assistance and if so, when. We can leave our wheelchair with all the baggage straight away and use an airport wheelchair or stay on our own wheelchair, depending on our preference. After our suitcases are checked, we proceed to the gate. As I mentioned before, we could go either first or last, depending on the airline. Sometimes the airplane is connected to the gate by a jet bridge, sometimes we will be taken by a special car and then lifted to enter the airplane. Upon entering the plane, we are given a special wheelchair and we take our seat. That’s a brief summary of how flying with a wheelchair looks like. It may sound complicated, but once you get used to flying, it’s a routine… like any other!
Fly above the limits
Accessible flying is not a dream, but a vision thousands of people make true. Wheelchair friendly airports and planes are slowly becoming more and more common. With every passing year, it becomes easier to explore the world and I am happy to see how much the culture of flying has progressed. Every corner of the world is just a flight away… for everybody. Not even the sky is the limit, and experiencing the freedom is possible – especially with a Blumil electric wheelchair! Here goes to even more accessible future…
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