disabled travel GDL Airport

[washita]

I am disabled and use a wheelchair.I usually fly AA,but the last few times they had to carry me up and down stairs to board the plane.Do you know any airlines that fly to DFW that consistantly use jetway bridges?

[sunshine59]

Try United that's what I use.  Great wheelchair service.

[washita]

So with United you don't have to take a bus to the plane?I can just roll in the jetway?

[TheBestSideOfTheWall]

Every time I have come in on United from Houston, but once, I have had to take the bus. I wondered if it was the size of the aircraft instead of the Carrier. 

[Joyfull]

As a former American Airlines employee that is the carrier I always fly. Morning flight is a bus and often the afternoon flight is on a jetbridge as the plane comes in unloads and turns around and quickly leaves. Its mostly a crapshoot whether or not you will be using a jetbrigdge as there are so few at GDL. If you cannot walk stairs they will help you.

[klm]

My experience is that the Mexican carriers get the getways.....try Interjet....I have never had to use stairs with them.

[lakeside7]

Interestingly over the past few years I noticed that there are as many as 10% of the flight using (needing?) wheelchair 's

[pappysmarket]

6 minutes ago, lakeside7 said:

Interestingly over the past few years I noticed that there are as many as 10% of the flight using (needing?) wheelchair 's

I have noticed that as well. Do you think there are that many more disabled folks or are some of them cheating?

[Xena]

Some people are not “disabled” as you may think of it but are unable to walk the long distances through the airport, to the gate and out to the plane. Same for connecting flights where the gates are far apart and time between flights can be short . Others have pain in knees, hips, and/or  joints that makes walking very painful. So please do not be too quick to judge.

[pappysmarket]

No judgement was rendered in any of the posts. Questions were asked. Your input is good and welcome.

[ComputerGuy]

Thank you Xena. I had terrible, terrible sciatica on my trip north this past July, and would not have made it without wheelchair service. In Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey, the assistance was amazing (although tips were certainly sought a couple of times, which I was happy to deliver, whether asked or not).

Before that trip, I did not assume that any wheelchair use was "cheating"; my Mom needed it a few times, and boy, did she need it.

Ask Gringal right now, who has been suffering from sciatica lately, what she thinks. Because as Xena says, disabled can also mean a temporary infliction from this kind of pain, or an accident, and many other things.

[snowyco]

The greying of the 100 million Baby Boomers likely explains a lot more passengers using the airlines movement-impaired services.

Xena's observation fits both airline policies and our experiences with other modestly disabled-impaired passengers.  My wife has a combination of lupus & arthritis that are sometimes low, yet other times flare up, so we are forced to use the airlines very good disabled persons services.  Policies: Airlines ask if the passenger is completely wheel-chair bound or if they can walk some.   Next, the levels & type of assistance then vary with the answer to that question.  After a year of airline travel in the USA, Mexico & Europe,  sharing time, space, airline vehicles & service with many other movement-impaired passengers,  we saw that all of them justifiably needed help, even when they apparently moved OK under some circumstances. ... With all the unexpected flight  changes & delays, when airlines shuffle planes between gates, causing some very long walks to a different~changed gate,  it drives a lot of us to request needed assistance.

 

[pappysmarket]

I do happen to personally know 2 people who have proudly announced that given their age and the mad scramble for overhead bin space, that they do in fact ask for a chair to simply be near the front of the line. These are the ones who can ruin it for folks that truly NEED it as CG and his mom obviously did.

[TelsZ4]

I also know people who show up at the airport with a cane and request a wheelchair.. It gets you priority boarding..

[ComputerGuy]

I pre-booked my flight out of Guadalajara and through my other flight connections, for wheelchair service. When I got to the airport, I had no idea what to do or where to go. A concierge noted my cane, came right over, and asked if I needed wheelchair service. Even before I pointed out the notation on my check-in papers, I was being taken care of. At the time, I was getting shots in my hip to carry me through the pain; even then, standing more than 10 seconds was excrutiating.

When I need it, I carry a hand-carved beautifully-painted cane that I bought from Chris, the basket guy you often see on the local streets. It does stand out.

[Justathought]

Travelers who see a person with a cane and/ or wheelchair has NO idea why the customer may have that  need for a wheelchair or cane. While it may not be obvious , I am certain there is a reason.  There is always someone who is in a more difficult situation , Than an observer can see.  We have been cussed at, my spouses cane has been kicked from under him, just to see if my spouse really needed the cane.  People can be cruel. But, just remember there is someone else that has medical problems. 

[camillenparadise]

Oh, I am so sorry to hear this! Anyone who kicks a cane should be arrested and perhaps taught to need a cane! I need one sometimes but do not abuse the privilege! And yet my white hair has provided me with so much help from young Mexicans!