- Travelers who use mobility devices may face additional challenges if they arrive abroad and find that their devices are damaged.
- Some pre-trip planning can go a long way in making the trip enjoyable.
- If something goes wrong, it's important to report it quickly and know what the airlines are supposed to do.
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Daniela Joseph said that as much as she loves to travel, a damaged wheelchair makes her question how often she flies.
She was flying from her home in Virginia to Frankfurt, Germany, via Lisbon, on TAP Air Portugal in April, and when she arrived for her connection, she said her wheelchair had returned damaged.
“The backrest was completely bent, the tire couldn’t lock into the chair properly anymore,” she told USA TODAY. “The brakes are broken, which means I can’t stop my chair from rolling. The seat is torn.”
For Joseph, the situation was complicated by the fact that she divided her time between Germany and the United States, and that her wheelchair had been delivered to her in the United States.
“No German dealer wants to work with a chair that’s made in the U.S.,” she said. “When it comes to an estimate, they can’t really give an estimate because they don’t know what the prices are in the U.S..”
Travelers who rely on mobility devices may face additional challenges if they arrive abroad to find these devices. damaged.
“You are at the mercy of what happens to your wheelchair,” Joy Burns, alliance and organizing coordinator at Wheel the World, told USA TODAY.
Cycling around the world is a travel and tour booking site that caters to travelers with accessibility needs.
Burns acknowledged that damaged mobility devices can ruin even the most carefully planned vacation, but she said there are some basic steps disabled travelers can take to try to minimize the risk of damage or salvage a trip if damage does occur.
1. Plan ahead
Burns said some pre-trip planning can go a long way toward ensuring a smooth trip.
She recommends sticking with U.S.-based airlines, even for international travel, because in the event of a disaster, it’s often easier to deal with U.S. airlines when travelers return, rather than trying to maintain control of a carrier with offices overseas. Plus, Burns said, airline regulations and expectations in the U.S. are pretty clear, though they’re not always perfectly enforced.
She also said it's important to let your airline know your accessibility needs in advance.
“Make sure you call the airline ahead of time,” Burns said. “Some flights can’t accommodate a power wheelchair, the cargo space isn’t big enough. You have to give them plenty of notice.”
Burns added that booking with a specialist company like Wheel the World can also help ensure a traveller's itinerary is more accessible overall.
Damage to an airline wheelchair:Here's how over 30 flyers were affected
2. Know your rights
If something goes wrong, it's important to report it quickly and know what the airlines are supposed to do.
Department of Transportation regulations and the Air Carrier Access Act, which covers U.S. airlines and generally all international flights originating in the United States, generally hold airlines liable for damage to mobility devices.
DOT Statistics U.S. airlines damaged approximately 1.38% of the mobility devices they handled in 2023.
When traveling with a foreign airline to another country, or when returning to the United States from abroad, local regulations generally apply, so travelers will want to research the laws of the place they are visiting. For example, European airlines may not be required to cover the full cost of repairing or replacing a wheelchair, even if they are the cause of the damage, according to travelinfauteuil.org.
Manual wheelchairs can often be stowed in the cabin and do not need to be checked, and Burns recommends that power wheelchair users take extra precautions to protect their devices in the cargo hold whenever possible.
3. Find a local supplier
Burns said it's a good idea to research local wheelchair suppliers ahead of time so you're prepared if a problem arises.
“Before you leave, make sure you know where the nearest repair shop is,” she said. “If the vehicle is so damaged that it’s unusable, find the local dealer and see if they can lend you a chair.”
Of course, as Joseph learned firsthand, local suppliers aren't always able to help, especially with larger repairs.
“I’m toying with the idea of maybe having a cheaper travel chair that could be disassembled so you could put it in the overhead bin when you travel and check in my daily wheelchair, but what’s the guarantee that it won’t be damaged?” she said.
Burns acknowledged that a loaner chair or local repair may also not be ideal for some wheelchair users.
“Wheelchairs are very specific to each person, and it really depends on the disability. People who have more severe disabilities are going to have a much harder time finding a replacement,” she said. “It’s not just a chair that your grandmother could use.”
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. He can be reached at zwichter@usatoday.com.
