More and more news has been coming out about the FAA and airlines investigating the viability of transporting passengers with wheelchairs onboard the plane without requiring them to transfer from their chair. One such article (CityLab.com), notes that Airbus is experimenting with making larger bathrooms available during the flight via a movable wall.
Having traveled abroad on several occasions, I know firsthand that this can be quite the issue. In fact, on the return trip from Europe, in 2013 with my brother Ethan, I’d had a few too many cups of water and coffee to sit contently for the entire 8 hour flight. And while using the restroom on an airline can be a trying ordeal for anyone under normal circumstances, using it while requiring assistance is an outright circus.
First, we had to get the flight staff’s attention. Then we had to wait 10 plus minutes for them to find the aisle transfer wheelchair. Ethan and the attendant then made the transfer, which in the cramped space and moving craft was quite challenging.
Once in the chair, I was paraded down the aisle, while the flight staff asked people to move their feet, bags, and clear the way. Then there came the transfer to the toilet.
Once the whole ordeal was finished, and we got the flight staff back to help transfer to the seat and put the chair away, I vowed to avoid drinks for the remainder of the flight.
The prospect of in the future remaining in my chair during the flight, which has been the topic of some discussions, along with an on-board accessible bathroom, leaves a sense of hope that future travel plans may become somewhat more reasonable, and not require acrobatics and a strong bladder.
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