[nagdu] Airline Travel

Sun Nov 17 05:30:34 UTC 2013

I pre-board always with a dog, but I usually fly Southwest, and if I 
pre-board, I can claim a seat in the bulkhead. With my current dog, I 
must ffly bulkhead because she just won't fit under the seat in front of 
me. My previous dog was a lot smaller and really didn't care for the 
bulkhead rows.

If I'm flying on an airline other than Southwest, then I simply speak to 
the gate agent as soon as possible to be sure I get a bulkhead seat. I 
have no idea what I would do if I needed to fly in a puddlejumper. My 
dog will not fit in the very limited space provided.

Everyone has covered security screening pretty thoroughly, so I won't do 
so again. Have a great trip, and let us know how your flights went!

Best,
Shanna and Diamond
On 11/15/2013 10:33 PM, Craig Heaps wrote:
> Yes, my wife is fully sighted.  I am also partially sighted.  I cane 
> traveled by myself to and from Chile.  My wife and I traveled (me with 
> my cane) a couple years ago to the UK.
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brandydp" <brandydp at verizon.net>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, November 15, 2013 4:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Airline Travel
>
>
>> Hi Craig,
>> This is what I usually do. You can call ahead as cheryl said. I 
>> haven't tried that before. Is your wife sighted? When I fly alone I 
>> ask for a sky cap to assist me through security. Even when I had my 
>> boyfriend with me this last flight jfk asked if I would still like 
>> assistance. I said yes and they took us to a shorter line through 
>> security. Here you take off shoes and blah blah. Legally they can't 
>> ask you to take off the harness. I usually do just because they are 
>> going to pat my dog down and this way it won't be in harness and it 
>> saves them searching the harness pouch with miss wriggles bouncing 
>> around as she does. There are three ways to do this. This is the one 
>> I do. Have someone take you up close enough to the detector, think 
>> it's called a magdomitor, have your dog sit or down make a long leash 
>> then you walk through making sure to keep the metal in your hand. 
>> When they tell you call chase through. Then he only goes off and they 
>> only search him. Or you can send the dog first, heard this somewhere 
>> don't know if I would try it. Or you both can walk through and they 
>> would have to pat down both of you. They will probably swab your 
>> hands because people have apparently hidden explosives in animals... 
>> Very sad. They ask you to not touch your dog after going through. I 
>> accidently do this and haven't been yelled at yet. As for sitting 
>> it's up to you. I prefer to not sit in bulkhead but my dogs have been 
>> small. I always try to get the window seat so the dog lays parallel 
>> to the wall under the seat in front of you. You may prefer bulkhead. 
>> They have to lay perpendicular to you there but your wife will be 
>> next to you so stealing her foot room won't be an issue. Lol. You can 
>> always go to the desk at the gate to discuss seating and they will 
>> contact passengers to see if they are ok switching. Hope this helps.
>>
>> brandy pinder
>> Alumni Council -  second vice Chairman
>> Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc®
>> and America's VetDogs®, The Veteran's K-9 Corps Inc®
>> Providing "Second uSight"® since 1946
>>
>> 371 E. Jericho Turnpike smith town ny 11766
>> Cso: 866-282-8047
>> Email: brandydp at verizon.net
>> Cell: 304-685-4499
>>
>> On Nov 15, 2013, at 7:14 PM, cheryl echevarria 
>> <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Here is the link to the website for TSA Care Program.
>>> Maybe had NAGDU's webmaster put it on the website site.
>>> http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/travelers-disabilities-and-medical-conditions 
>>>
>>>
>>> Disabled Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 of NY StateLeading the Way in 
>>> Independent Travel!
>>> Cheryl Echevarria, 
>>> Ownerwww.echevarriatravel.com631-456-5394reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>>> Your old car keys can be the keys to literacy for a blind child.  
>>> Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking 
>>> www.nfb.org/vehicledonations or call 855-659-9314. Echevarria Travel 
>>> has partnered with Braille Smith. www.braillesmith.com for all her 
>>> braille needs.  Gail Smith is the Secretary of the NFB of Alabama
>>>
>>>> Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 16:42:16 -0500
>>>> From: Cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com
>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Airline Travel
>>>>
>>>> Go to the tsa cares website and call them 72 hours prior to flying 
>>>> they can help you through it. I am not on the computer right now so 
>>>> if anyone can post the website or the phone number.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S®4
>>>>
>>>> -------- Original message --------
>>>> From: craig.heaps at comcast.net
>>>> Date:11/15/2013  4:34 PM  (GMT-05:00)
>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Airline Travel
>>>>
>>>> My guide, Chase, and I will be flying Thanksgiving week with my 
>>>> wife to Milwaukee to see our son and daughter-in-law.  It will be 
>>>> the first flight Chase and I have taken together. He's very 
>>>> mellow.  He rides the BART train every day and has taken a few 
>>>> local bus trips as well.
>>>> Please give me any advice you have on airline travel, including how 
>>>> to navigate the TSA checkpoints..  The more detailed, the better.
>>>>
>>>> We will fly from San Francisco to Milwaukee on Southwest Airlines.  
>>>> I have preboarded many times before on Southwest while cane traveling.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for your help.
>>>>
>>>> Craig Heaps and Chase
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>>>
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