'Special' Assistance

the problem:

how to make sure I get my walker as soon as I get off the plane

so it doesn’t go to the luggage carousel

so I don’t have to walk all the way there without it

what I did:

Out:

at check in get my boarding pass printed off & get sticker for the walker.

Use walker all the way to bottom of airplane steps.

Ask for them to get it for me soon as we arrive.

No problem they say

On arrival told I have to get it at carousel. Long walk.

Return:

I type out same request on my ipad to make sure they understand

No problem they say.

On arrival. Wait they say luggage not off plane yet.

Everyone else boards the shuttle bus. Bus waits for me.

We were already late arriving. It is late and I don’t want to miss last train.

They tell me to go back on the plane and wait.

Shuttle bus leaves.

Eventually they tell me my walker has gone to the carousel as it was labelled ‘hold luggage’

So I kept everyone waiting for nothing.

I have to wait for a special minibus.

So frustrating. They mutter about ‘communication issue’. What do I have to do next time?

I no longer book special assistance as I have akathisia can’t stand sitting too long & can’t stand having to wait around. It is much quicker to get off with everyone else.

Usually it works fine. This was first time I flew from Luton (Easyjet) & it was only I hour up to Edinburgh. Once going to Spain I had booked Special assistance and was frustrated when I had to go on a buggy to fetch my walker from the carousel. Flight had been delayed an hour so I was desperate to walk not sit more. People are always telling me to take a seat…. The last thing I want to do. People just don’t know how distressing Akathisia is.

Easyjet sent a standard customer survey & I tried to explain whaT THE PROBLEM was. I think I will probably have to write them a letter to ask what to do next time. So it would be helpful if anyone else has found a way round this.

They gave me one of those green things to hang round my neck. They let you go to the front of the queue and they offered me a seat nearer the front of the plane. They were apologetic. But it should have been very simple and stress – free and it wasn’t.

I guess I should just book another night’s accommodation and not catch the last flight when I am tired & more bothered by delays. I can walk without my walker but my balance is bad and the more tired I am the more trouble I have lifting my feet properly so I don’t trip myself up. I just don’t have to worry about that with the walker and I only have a small backpack which fits in the ‘shopping’ part of my walker (a very sturdy number from Trionic – I got halfway up Arthur’s seat with it)