Columns The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias US Airlines Are Now Tracking Wheelchairs They Break or Lose US Airlines Are Now Tracking Wheelchairs They Break or Lose by Ed Tobias | January 8, 2019 Share this article: Share article via email Copy article link It’s happened to me, and if you fly with a scooter or a wheelchair, I bet it’s happened to you, too: a busted or missing set of wheels on arrival. On a flight from Washington, D.C., to Venice, my scooter went to Copenhagen. On a flight from Baltimore to St. Kitts, I was happy to see my scooter appear at the cabin door. But where was the back of its seat? Somehow, on this nonstop flight, it had been ripped off and was still in the cargo hold. Discuss the latest research in the MS News Today forums! But now, when an airline busts or loses a wheelchair or scooter the federal government will be watching. Last October I wrote about a law that reauthorized the budget for the Federal Aviation Administration. That law includes a requirement to draft an “Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights.” One of the bill’s provisions is an obligation for large U.S. airlines to report the number of wheelchairs and scooters they damage or lose. That requirement took effect in early December. The first reports should be available in February. Hopefully, this will result in greater care when handling our wheels. It took a senator in a wheelchair to get it done There’s a story behind this story. It involves Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Army combat pilot who lost part of her legs when her helicopter was hit by rocket fire in Iraq. Sen. Duckworth uses a wheelchair and she says airlines have damaged two of them. According to an article for Mother Jones, the senator wasn’t happy when it looked as if a government agency was dragging its feet on implementing the wheelchair rule. She said when she asked the Department of Transportation about this “they never really gave me a straight answer, and that was part of my frustration and why I put in the effort.” So, Senator Duckworth pushed her colleagues on the Senate Transportation Committee to get the wheels turning on the reporting requirement. And they did. Senator Duckworth thinks the numbers, due to be released next month, will surprise most able-bodied people. “I think we’re going to see some pretty dismal numbers,” she says. I think she’s right. But maybe if they know they’re being watched the airlines will treat our chairs and scooters with a little more care. If nothing else, we’ll know which airlines we want to avoid when we travel. (You’re invited to visit my personal blog at www.themswire.com) *** Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis. Print This Page About the Author Ed Tobias People say to write what you know and Ed Tobias knows about MS. He's lived with the illness since 1980, when he was 32 years old. Ed's a retired, award-winning broadcast journalist and his column combines his four decades of MS experiences with news and comments about the latest in the MS community. In addition to writing his column, Ed is one of the patient moderators on the MS News Today Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram sites. He’s also the author of “The Multiple Sclerosis Toolbox: Hints and Tips for Living with M.S.” Ed and his wife split their time between the Washington, D.C. suburbs and Florida’s Gulf Coast, trying to follow the sun. Tags air travel, mobility scooters Comments Mary Batte This is disgraceful and, your right, had no idea. Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention and what can we do to help. Reply Gary Timlin I have also experienced the airlines breaking my 4 wheeled walker even when checking it gate to gate. One had the hand brake control broken off & the 2nd had one of the front wheels was broken off. At least both airlines provided me with wheel chair service to local transportation to get to my destination. One provided me with a loaner & ordered a new replacement. The other told me to buy a new one & submit the invoice to them. I am still awaiting for the check. Reply Ed Tobias Hi Gary, Thanks for taking the time to share that information. It would be nice to know which airline provided you with a loaner and ordered a new walker for you and which still owes you a check. I might try to avoid the latter. Ed Reply Leave a comment Fill in the required fields to post. Your email address will not be published. Your Name Your Email Your Comment Post Comment
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