I was sitting next to an app developer on a flight from Chicago to Amsterdam and he had on these green, knit-looking shoes that looked really comfortable so I asked him about it. In his Dutch accent he said what I thought was, “Abbot’s.” Cut to me searching the internet for Abbot shoes that looked like his to no avail. But then I found them. They’re called Allbirds!
I had heard about Merino wool and since I don’t wear socks (too hard to put on), I figured the smell-resistant feature of the Merino Allbirds would be a huge plus. But the minute I put my foot in one, it was like the most comfortable slipper I’d ever worn.
I’ve had one pair now for a year and there are only slightly visible signs of wear. Of course as a wheelchair user, that’s expected but I don’t use footrests so they’re always banging up against my wheels. Sure they get some dirt on them but they wipe off clean and can be washed easily.
I highly recommend this shoe if you want to be comfortable on a flight.
It is amazing what the airlines are coming up with for luxury travelers. In the pics above, Ethiad, JAL, and Singapore airlines highlight their first class sections and premium suites. Look at that bar with all the space around it! Check out that couch! And that bed and recliner combo in that last suite. AMAZING!
Innovation is at top speed at these airlines and the airplane companies that supply their fleets. It has even been floated that sleeper suites could one day be available in modular cargo hold pods. How incredible would that be?
Whoah, woah, woah, back it up. Can we get wheelchairs on planes first before the next round of luxury suite development?
While many airlines are busy improving their first class service (I’m not even sure how I’d be lifted/transferred into some of these suite designs), wheelchair users are left behind. In a world where all of the above designs are not only possible, but in production, wheelchair users board planes like this because we cannot remain in our wheelchairs.
How archaic does this look? Some of the wheelchairs that people are put on to be brought onto planes are decades old. There are sometimes as many as six straps (one for each attorney who has ever sued an airline when someone fell out, I’m sure). Often wheelchair users have to be lifted by improperly-trained teenagers. Other times it’s by people not in shape enough to handle the lift.
Nothing is more ridiculous than being lifted to an aisle chair, strapped in with six straps, then rolled ten feet to my seat only to do the process in reverse. It takes time, it is awkward, and often other passengers have nothing better to do than watch (even though airlines try to board wheelchair users first).
Not just that, but wheelchairs are broken at a rate of 25 per day, according to 2019 FAA reports. Could you imagine if 25 pairs of passenger legs were broken every day? And don’t even get me started about passengers with disabilities who are injured because of lifts and transfers.
There are small organizations trying to move forward with wheelchairs on planes, such as the All Wheels Up organization. In accordance with recent legislation, AWU has raised money and performed safety testing on wheelchair restraints on airplanes.
It would be nice, however, if airlines or airplane manufacturers could lead on this issue. Of course it’s a matter of money. Of course it’s also matter of there being no requirements for this. It’s an example where capitalism needs improvement.
Airlines don’t seem to understand that flying is often the only time a wheelchair user is more than a few feet from their wheelchair — EVER. It’s taken under the plane to cargo and brought up after landing. Sometimes it’s brought to the airplane door (as it’s supposed to in the USA) but other times it’s brought to baggage. Sometimes it’s not brought at all (I had a chair left in Sweden once by the airline).
I know safety needs to be evaluated so all passengers remain safe if chairs are on planes. But let’s face it, if passengers can accept that the beverage cart (which weighs 300 pounds fully loaded) can roll freely down the aisle, then they can accept a 100-200 pound wheelchair (usually less) which is strapped down for the duration of the flight.
Think about how passengers are belted in. A 200 pound passenger is belted into a seat with a standard airplane seatbelt. You’re telling me a four-point tie down or locking system isn’t going to be sufficiently safe for a 100 pound wheelchair?
But come on. If you can figure out a way to create an entire industry of flying metal birds with luxury suites the size of a small home bathroom, then certainly you can innovate a way to allow wheelchair users who want to fly in their own chairs be able to, without losing money.
In the meantime, I continue to fly as much as I want. I have backup chairs at home in case one breaks. I file complaints when something goes wrong. I get my chairs fixed by airlines when they’re broken and I get vouchers and gift cards when they damage my chair. It’s frustrating to have to handle it when it comes up but I’m not going to stop flying because of it and I’m not going to feel bad when an airline has to shell out a few thousand dollars to fix a chair they broke.
I also mention to flight attendants, pilots, and ground staff that one day maybe we’ll be able to fly in our chairs and save everyone time getting on and off the planes. I have never been met with anything but support from airline employees. Even the ones who are tasked with apologizing to me will lament the fact that chairs aren’t allowed on planes yet.
I go anyway and I encourage you to go anyway too. Even though many chairs are broken each day, many more do make it safely. In my experience, I’ve had only a handful of mishaps over dozens and dozens of flight segments. If you are nervous about your primary chair, find a cheap backup on Craigslist or eBay that you can use and survive in for the duration of your trip. You could also rent one in your final destination.
Hopefully one day I’ll be able to roll down the jetway and get onto a plane the same way I can roll onto any accessible train. Nobody will have to lift me and nobody will have to touch my chair except to put on the restraints.
But at the current rate, I will probably get space for my chair on a SpaceX flight to Mars before I can stay in my chair on a flight from Chicago to Europe.
I was able to take the metro from my hotel station to the botanical gardens and back — no problem!
I mentioned in my summary of a weekend in Singapore that the metro was one of the best I’d ever used. It’s true. It was empowering and great. Here’s some info.
There is virtually zero gap
I rode the metro for probably thirty journeys and only one time was the gap psychologically challenging, but I zipped over it anyway and it was fine. Here’s a video of the typical gap.
This is a very typical gap I traversed frequently with my power chair. No problem!
The routes are few & easy
There are boards with maps and stops in every modern station. After a few rides, you will know which direction you need to go if you memorize the endpoints. If you go the wrong way, just get off at any station and go to the other platform and go the other direction.
There’s a station at the airport
The metro doesn’t run late or very early in the morning, but if you’re looking for a cheap option for getting from the airport, there is a station right there. You can buy the Singapore Visitor pass for the metro after you enter the station and use it throughout your trip.
Follow the tactile paths
Although the target audience for these are the blind and visually impaired these come in handy as a sort of “Silver Brick Road” for wheelchair users too. There are tactile paths from the entrances to the elevators to the platforms, so you can follow those and make your station visit even easier.
If you need help at any time, just about every station has an attendant or guard who will help you.
I live in Wisconsin but am taking a flight from Chicago O’Hare to Tokyo this weekend. Getting to O’Hare from Milwaukee is an inconvenient puzzle.
Driving is fine but O’Hare daily parking is expensive ($10/day for Economy G but you have to take a bus then the tram. $17/day for Economy E if you want to hop the tram. Tram is super easy and the bus from G is accessible, but still it’s pricey for a week!
Wisconsin Coach has a bus but it takes over 2 hours and you have to pre-arrange an accessible bus. If your flight is delayed on the way home, you might be stuck without a return trip if the accessible bus leaves. Costs $32 each way.
Uber has accessible rides FROM O’Hare to Milwaukee (around $120-150) but not to O’Hare from Milwaukee.
Amtrak ($25 one way to Chicago) has Hiawatha trains from downtown Milwaukee to Glenview or Union Station, but you’ll have to hop an accessible Uber, CTA train (station change) or Metra (with connection) to get to O’Hare.
There is a Hilton right at the airport, which can be a life saver if you get in late. Then you can check in and worry about getting home the next day. I’ve planned on doing this twice but then decide to take an Uber late and sleep in my own bed. Don’t rely on accessible Ubers, however. I’ve been lucky twice with this plan but I’m sure one of these times no accessible Uber will be available.
The only perfect solution is to have someone drive me in my own van, but ain’t nobody want to drive 3+ hours round trip TWICE to pick my ass up, so forget it. I don’t even like driving myself down there!
This time around I am trying the Amtrak / CTA route since the weather will be ok. I will probably go down there the day before and get a last minute hotel deal. This will take the pressure off on Saturday when my flight is.
I don’t know if it’s my need to stay independent or just a generalized feeling of anxiety, but asking for help has always been a difficult thing for me. I realized this was a problem when I didn’t even want to bother the front desk at a hotel for a toothbrush. I mean, it’s literally their job to answer the phone and ask what a guest wants, but somehow I thought I was being a pain in the ass.
Calling the front desk isn’t a problem. The phone and the agent are there for a reason!
I’ve observed pains-in-the-asses and I guess I didn’t want to be like them. You know these people, the ones who think the world revolves around them and everyone else is put here to serve them. They’re not gracious, kind, or grateful at all.
Finally I made a distinction between those people and myself. Even though we might ask for the same things, I was gracious, kind, and grateful, so in essence I was a guest the front desk people were happy to help. I wasn’t being an inconvenience. I was being a breath of fresh air. Nobody was going to look over to their co-worker and mouth, “What an asshole!” when I was asking for something.
I have noticed this trait in a lot of my family and friends. There’s a certain mix of graciousness and politeness that not everyone has, but I’ve always been surrounded by it. In some cases, this can be taken advantage of. However, with customer service situations it’s a necessary part of the interaction as far as I am concerned. Respect is important.
Be nice, be direct, be grateful
Here’s how I operate, whether it’s with a hotel front desk person, an airline check-in agent, or someone on the phone.
Smile and ask how the person is.
Engage in banter if it feels natural.
Ask specifically for what you want.
Be grateful they consider your request.
Thank them for doing what they can.
Be gracious if they cannot accommodate.
Be thankful if they are able to help you.
For example, this is me checking into a hotel when I am there way before my check-in time.
“Hi, How are you?”
“I know I am here early, but I was wondering if I could check in or leave my bags here?” (Handing them my ID and credit card.)
“Also, I hope this is already in the system, but if you could make sure I have an accessible room with a roll-in shower, that would be great. Thank you for checking.”
Banter here while they type and click and type and click and type and click and type and click. Hawaii. Wisconsin. Price of milk. Family. Blah, blah, blah.
“If you have a room on a high floor, I wouldn’t be against that.”
“Oh that’s okay. Thank you so much for checking.”
“Great! I wasn’t expecting to be able to check-in so early, but this is awesome. I really appreciate it. Is there someone who can help me get my suitcase situated up there?”
Being a decent person isn’t that difficult. If you are already a decent person, then asking for help shouldn’t be difficult and you shouldn’t feel like you’re being a burden.
You Should Go Anyway 
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