We found some inconsistencies with how American Airlines handled the TravelScoot, but overall it was a positive experience
NEW ORLEANS to WASHINGTON, D.C.
1) New Orleans: We checked in at the kiosk and then dropped off our luggage. At security I got off the TravelScoot and walked through the security check. They swabbed my scoot. I continued on to the gate where I asked for a gate check tag, which only took a minute to issue. Alan and I pre-boarded the plane. At the door of the plane we dropped the handlebars and put both the sla and l-ion batteries in the bag to prepare it for being stowed. (We later learned that this was a mistake. Putting both batteries in the bag made the bag too heavy. We should have left the sla battery installed (but unplugged) and only put the l-ion battery in the bag. )
2) Dallas: When we exited the plane, my scoot wasn't at the door of the plane. They had left it inside the airport at the door of the ramp to the plane. This was the only time this happened. When I went to get another gate check tag to reboard in Dallas, they cheerfully told me that they have a scooter expert named Squeak, and she would be right there to help me. She showed up immediately, walked to the door of the plane with me, then rode my scoot to the magical place they take them to put them on the plane. One of my friends who was flying with us told me she saw Squeak taking it on a test drive. It think it was the first time she'd seen a TravelScoot. This time we did not drop the handlebars or store the battery, because Squeak wanted to drive it to its destination.
3) Dulles: When we exited the plane my scoot was at the door of the plane. There are constant inclines from the plane to the airport building, and it wouldn't make it up the inclines with me so Alan rode it and I walked. The TravelScoot wouldn't handle the inclines because of my weight. As far as I know Rhonda didn't have any problems riding hers up the inclines.
WASHINGTON, D.C. TO NEW ORLEANS
4) Dulles: We checked in at the kiosk, and then dropped off our luggage. At security I got off the TravelScoot and walked through the security check. They swabbed my scoot. I continued on to the gate where I asked for a gate check tag, which only took a minute to issue. Our whole party of 5 pre-boarded the plane this time. We think this happened because Melissa and I were wearing the same dress, because a staff member asked her if she was with me and sent her to pre-board. (Wearing the same dress was an accident, but ended up being a good thing.) I rode my scoot to the door of the plane, where we lowered the handlebars and put the l-ion battery in the storage bag and left the sla battery attached.
5) Dallas: We had a weather delay when leaving Dulles so we arrived late to Dallas and we were afraid we were going to miss our connecting flight. We have a whole row of seats across the airplane. Greg and Melissa were sitting on one side of the aisle, and Melicia, Alan and I were on the other. Normally we wait and get off last, but this time Melicia raised the arm on the aisle seat and as soon as she could stand up she did, effectively blocking anyone from passing. (And who says their aren't benefits to being a big girl?) We moved off the plane faster than we ever have. My scoot wasn't at the door of the plane and they told us to check right inside the airport. Alan ran ahead to get it set up for me. At that moment Melicia and I heard one of the employees saying, "it looks like a little motorcycle..." and we knew it was my scoot. I started pulling it up the ramp, hoping Alan would come back to rescue me. It's hard enough for me to walk the incline of the ramp, and harder when I'm pulling a scoot. I didn't know it at the time but he was trying to come back and the staff wouldn't let him. If I hadn't showed up quickly he would have pitched a fit about it. About halfway there I tried riding it and was able to get it up the final incline. From there we took off at as fast a clip as we could go and made our connecting flight. We got there just in time for Squeak to tag my scoot again and walk with me to the door of the plane where she took it and rode it to have it put on the plane. Whew! Oh wait, maybe this was where we all got to pre-board. It's all a big blur now.
6) New Orleans: My scoot wasn't at the plane when we got off. We walked the ramp to the airport and I sat down and waited until they delivered it to us, which was only a minute or two later.
NEW ORLEANS to WASHINGTON, D.C.
1) New Orleans: We checked in at the kiosk and then dropped off our luggage. At security I got off the TravelScoot and walked through the security check. They swabbed my scoot. I continued on to the gate where I asked for a gate check tag, which only took a minute to issue. Alan and I pre-boarded the plane. At the door of the plane we dropped the handlebars and put both the sla and l-ion batteries in the bag to prepare it for being stowed. (We later learned that this was a mistake. Putting both batteries in the bag made the bag too heavy. We should have left the sla battery installed (but unplugged) and only put the l-ion battery in the bag. )
2) Dallas: When we exited the plane, my scoot wasn't at the door of the plane. They had left it inside the airport at the door of the ramp to the plane. This was the only time this happened. When I went to get another gate check tag to reboard in Dallas, they cheerfully told me that they have a scooter expert named Squeak, and she would be right there to help me. She showed up immediately, walked to the door of the plane with me, then rode my scoot to the magical place they take them to put them on the plane. One of my friends who was flying with us told me she saw Squeak taking it on a test drive. It think it was the first time she'd seen a TravelScoot. This time we did not drop the handlebars or store the battery, because Squeak wanted to drive it to its destination.
3) Dulles: When we exited the plane my scoot was at the door of the plane. There are constant inclines from the plane to the airport building, and it wouldn't make it up the inclines with me so Alan rode it and I walked. The TravelScoot wouldn't handle the inclines because of my weight. As far as I know Rhonda didn't have any problems riding hers up the inclines.
WASHINGTON, D.C. TO NEW ORLEANS
4) Dulles: We checked in at the kiosk, and then dropped off our luggage. At security I got off the TravelScoot and walked through the security check. They swabbed my scoot. I continued on to the gate where I asked for a gate check tag, which only took a minute to issue. Our whole party of 5 pre-boarded the plane this time. We think this happened because Melissa and I were wearing the same dress, because a staff member asked her if she was with me and sent her to pre-board. (Wearing the same dress was an accident, but ended up being a good thing.) I rode my scoot to the door of the plane, where we lowered the handlebars and put the l-ion battery in the storage bag and left the sla battery attached.
5) Dallas: We had a weather delay when leaving Dulles so we arrived late to Dallas and we were afraid we were going to miss our connecting flight. We have a whole row of seats across the airplane. Greg and Melissa were sitting on one side of the aisle, and Melicia, Alan and I were on the other. Normally we wait and get off last, but this time Melicia raised the arm on the aisle seat and as soon as she could stand up she did, effectively blocking anyone from passing. (And who says their aren't benefits to being a big girl?) We moved off the plane faster than we ever have. My scoot wasn't at the door of the plane and they told us to check right inside the airport. Alan ran ahead to get it set up for me. At that moment Melicia and I heard one of the employees saying, "it looks like a little motorcycle..." and we knew it was my scoot. I started pulling it up the ramp, hoping Alan would come back to rescue me. It's hard enough for me to walk the incline of the ramp, and harder when I'm pulling a scoot. I didn't know it at the time but he was trying to come back and the staff wouldn't let him. If I hadn't showed up quickly he would have pitched a fit about it. About halfway there I tried riding it and was able to get it up the final incline. From there we took off at as fast a clip as we could go and made our connecting flight. We got there just in time for Squeak to tag my scoot again and walk with me to the door of the plane where she took it and rode it to have it put on the plane. Whew! Oh wait, maybe this was where we all got to pre-board. It's all a big blur now.
6) New Orleans: My scoot wasn't at the plane when we got off. We walked the ramp to the airport and I sat down and waited until they delivered it to us, which was only a minute or two later.
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That lady who takes the scooters and wheelchairs at DFW is awesome isn't she? I've had the pleasure of her taking care of my scooter many times and she is just great.
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