bringing electric scooter on plane

[disneymom15]

Is it possible to bring an electric scooter with you on the plane? I would assume they put it in the luggage area. Any one have any experience with this? My father inlaw may be coming with us in Dec and would like to save the rental fee.

[Pirate Granny]

i watched Delta in February unload one from the plane that I was waiting to board...they had a hell of a time getting it off (as they don't drive it off). however, that said...the person was sitting in an airline wheelchair waiting and it arrived before we began boarding...not sure about ME bringing it to the resort, you'd have to make sure they knew that you are bringing one. And with that said, not sure if Delta charged them for transporting the EVC...it actually took at least three persons to get it out of the airline hold...you know...what happens if they break it...??? United just broke the handles off a brand new double stroller over Xmas...and they handle those special...they did replace two months later, and luckily it was on the return trip, rather than the outbound trip, where they would've need the stroller.
:pirate:

[peemagg]

I fly with my scooter all the time. It is very easy to do. I drive it up to the door of the plane and then hand it to them. I place the scooter in freewheel mode and I take anything off of it like baskets and armrests and the key with me and place them in another duffle bag. You are allowed to travel with all medical equipment above and beyond what the airline says as 1 carry on and 1 personal item. Medical equipment is exempt from that rule. The airline also cannot charge you for transporting the medical equipment.

One thing that is different from airlines transporting medical equipment from any other type of luggage (i.e. luggage, sports equipment, strollers), is that if your scooter or wheelchair is damaged by the airline, the airline must pay the cost to repair it along with all rental fees. If the item cannot be repaired the airline must replace it at a equal item. It does not matter that if you bought the scooter 10 years ago and it cost $200 then and to replace it for a like type scooter (of your choice, not theirs) now costs $2000 it is the $2000 amount that they would have to pay on top of all rental fees until a new one can be procured for you. There is no maximum limit that can be set on medical equipment, unlike other things that the airline transports.

You should call your airline and make sure they note on your reservation that you are traveling with the scooter. They will want to know what type of battery the scooter has, whether it is a gel battery or a sealed acid battery. If it is a gel battery you won't have any problems. If it is the other type you might have to do some extra things in order for it to travel safely.

It is not difficult at all to travel with your scooter. In fact you will be glad that you did.

[PETE FROM NYC]

Just remember that each airline may have different policies.
Our trip 3/07 I called many carriers and Jet Blue was the only one to give me straight answers.

[peemagg]

This information that I have comes from the FAA site. http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/disabled.htm




Other Services and Accommodations



r Airlines are required to provide assis*tance with boarding, deplaning and making connections. Assistance within the cabin is also required, but not extensive personal services. Where level-entry boarding is not available, there must be ramps or mechanical lifts to service most aircraft with 19 or more seats at U.S. airports with over 10,000 annual enplanements.



r Disabled passengers’ items stored in the cabin must conform to FAA rules on the stowage of carry-on baggage. Assistive devices do not count against any limit on the number of pieces of carry-on baggage. Collapsible wheelchairs and other assistive devices have priority for in-cabin storage space (including in closets) over other passengers’ items brought on board at the same airport, if the passenger with a disability chooses to preboard.



r Wheelchairs and other assistive devices have priority over other items for storage in the baggage compartment.



r Airlines must accept battery-powered wheelchairs, including the batteries, packaging the batteries in hazardous materials packages when necessary. The airline provides the packaging.



r Airlines must permit a passenger to use his/her Portable Oxygen Concentrator during the flight if it is labeled as FAA-approved.



r Airlines may not charge for providing accommodations required by the rule, such as hazardous materials packaging for batteries. However, they may charge for optional services such as providing oxygen.



r Other provisions concerning services and accommodations address treatment of mobility aids and assistive devices, passenger information, accommodations for persons with vision and hearing impairments, security screening, communicable diseases and medical certificates, and service animals.


I found this on another site. The site is: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/horizons.htm#HandlingMobilityAids


Carriers may not require a passenger with a disability to sign a waiver of liability for damage or loss of wheelchairs or other assistive devices. The carrier may make note of any pre-existing defect to the device.

On domestic trips, airlines are permitted to limit their liability for loss, damage or delay to checked baggage to $3,000 per passenger. This limit does not apply to wheelchairs or other assistive devices, however. When an assistive device is lost or destroyed on a domestic trip, the criterion for calculating the compensation is the original purchase price of the device.



As far as travel on DME, your scooter gets loaded under the bus if the person using it can handle the steps to get on the bus. If they can't you need to let DME know that you will need a lift bus (before getting to the airport). The person and scooter will then ride up into the bus on the lift and be tied down inside.

[Mickie the Pooh]

I agree with the others I travel with my scooter all the time and I always gate check it, ride it to the door of plane. They don't always want you too but you have the right to and if they give you any trouble you tell them to call the CRO immediately. That puts an end to the problem.

The scooter can also be accomodated by the Mickie Express, they just put it under the bus in most cases though they also have accessible busses, though that may cause a delay even though you should let them know in advance and again when you arrive.