[Blindtlk] Questions about getting assistance in airports

Fri May 27 21:57:23 UTC 2016

Hi Sami,
As others have mentioned, how you choose to do it really depends on a lot of factors. I will share how I choose to navigate through the airport.
If I am getting a ride to the airport, I can get dropped off at the door nearest my airline.  If I take a bus to the airport, then I obviously have no choice as to which airline I am dropped off near, as there are only certain designated stops.  If I am not dropped off right by the airline, I may ask the bus driver or perhaps someone on the bus if they know which direction so and so airline is in relation to the bus stop.  Either way, I'll just walk inside the airport and ask any random person, "Which direction to the check in for ___ airline." I'll walk the direction they tell me and just continue to ask people until I know I'm in the correct line.  There are always a lot of people around so finding people to ask has never been an issue for me.  
Once I get my boarding pass I ask them to tell me what gate number I need to go, what time the flight is boarding and what my seating assignment is, if I don't already know that information.  Then I ask them which way security is.  From there it is just a matter of asking "which way to ...." For me.  I prefer not to get assistance if I don't need it because there are plenty of other people around to answer questions.  It gives me a chance to practice my skills, and for people to see that blind people are capable, independent people. Even if I do get lost, it's not a big deal, I just keep asking questions.  Times when I have used assistance are when I arrived to the airport late and was in a hurry, or when I had surgery and couldn't carry all the things I had so I asked for help with that and was able to just walk next to the airport employee helping me or get a ride on those carts so that they could carry my luggage.  In those cases, I told them at the check in desk what I needed and they called someone to come help.  I have never asked for help in advance.  

It is true that if you do ask for assistance they will often bring a wheelchair, and sometimes I have had people insist I sit in it.  Times like that I just tell them, I need to get to my flight, and I don't need a wheelchair, sometimes having to repeat that a few times.  I have learned at this point that if I do need to ask for assistance, I tell the person at the check in what assistance I need and make it clear to them to let the person coming to help me know that I do not want a wheelchair.  That has worked out well.  
Often they want me to pre board but I have never seen any reason to do this.  The seats are all numbered so I just count and ask people along the way, "is this row ___?"
It has never been an issue, I actually find it easier to board with everyone else because then I can follow all the other people and ask about the seats since lots of others are on the plane.  
If I have to make a connecting flight, I do the same thing at the next airport, just asking questions as I go.  If I have a very short time to get to my next flight I may ask for assistance.  This is something that I would do at my departure airport though, otherwise, it will take them a long time to get to you when you arrive at your connecting airport.  Even if you do ask at your departure airport, they still may not be there when you arrive anyway.  I try not to get flights with short connections, especially if I am not very familiar with the connecting airport.  But if for some reason I have to, I try to emphasize and make very clear what I need up front, that I am concerned about the time frame, etc.  
When I arrive at my destination, I follow the crowd getting off the plane. Often I will ask one of the other passengers while getting off the plane if they are headed to baggage claim.  We might strike up a conversation and walk together, or if not, I'll just try to follow them, and if that doesn't work out, I ask questions to whoever's around.

Hope some of that was helpful.  
I'm sure it will go well, there is plenty of help around if you need it. 

Have a great time in Cali!

Anna E Givens

> On May 27, 2016, at 11:53 AM, Sami Osborne via blindtlk <blindtlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I hope you're all having a great holiday weekend and enjoying spending time with family and friends.
> 
> This August, I'll be traveling from my home state of NY all the way to San Francisco, CA for a ten-day-long music camp for the blind.  This will be my first time flying by myself without my family.  I'd like to ask you guys a couple of questions about getting assistance to the gate at the airport, which we, as blind people, probably all need.
> 
> First of all, how much in advance should you let the airline know that you need assistance? When my mom was buying the plane tickets, she discovered that one of the questions they asked was if I was a blind person with a guide dog.  She didn't answer that because I only have a cane.  But on the airline's website, there is no information regarding getting assistance if you're blind.  So I'd like to know if you'd need to apply for assistance well in advance of your trip or just a few days before? Also, should you do it on the phone or can you do it online?
> 
> Second, I know that they can help you to the gate, but will they assist you with getting to the security checkpoint as well? When I go flying with my family, the airport employees usually assist me with going through security, so I already know that they can do that.  But as for getting from the curb to the checkpoint, would they be able to do that?
> 
> Third, as I mentioned before, this is my first time  flying on my own.  I know that a lot of times in the airport, they'll ask you if you want a wheelchair, only because they assume the worst about us.  I think you know what I mean.  Anyway, when I apply to get assistance, should I tell them that I don't need a wheelchair and just use sighted guide with whichever airport employee is walking with me, or would I need to do that  at the airport?
> 
> I hope that you people who fly independently can help me with this.
> 
> Thanks and happy Memorial Day weekend,
> 
> Sami
> 
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