[Travelandtourism] Questions about getting assistance in airports

[Tom Evans]

Sami,
You can call in advance and maybe nice for their numbers and data, yet their
not going to do anything, until your there.
Then I say the key words of blind and meet and assist and don't need a wheel
chait, yet most likely they bring and you politely refuse.
I fly all the time and the last 2 experiances were so bad, that the helper
needed more help with English and understanding.  I got 2 plain clothes
civilians to help, since the help was no help.  Ususually very good, yet
their hiring wheel chair pushers.
You'll be fine.  I have been doing for 30 years and once in a while, like
the last time, got thrown for a loop.  I will tell you far better, then 30
years ago and everywhere is occasional probs.  The key word is meet and
assist and don't need a wheel chair and don't be surprised when they show
with one.  It is part of their everyday requests

-----Original Message-----
From: TravelAndTourism [mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Sami Osborne via TravelAndTourism
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2016 10:53 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org; blindtlk at nfbnet.org; travelandtourism at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sami Osborne
Subject: [Travelandtourism] Questions about getting assistance in airports

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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