I landed in Sydney, Australia after a grueling 16-hour flight from Dallas, Texas (connecting from West Palm Beach, WPB, Florida). The flight was flawless, unless you count Sydney baggage handlers propensity for ignoring instructions to deliver my scooter to the plane door. They’ve done this so many times in the past, I anticipated the need to use wheelchair service to baggage claim where the scooter was delivered.
On my return trip to Florida three weeks later, check-in staff agreed for me to ride my scooter up the jetway to the plane door where a lift could take it downstairs to the
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baggage hold. Yet despite being at the gate for at least an hour before boarding, the boarding agent told me I was going to make the plane late! What? She was the one who stopped me riding the scooter to the door and instead of pre-boarding me with passengers needing assistance was boarding me last because she couldn’t get anyone to take the scooter. Finally, another employee intervened. He let me ride to the door and had no trouble finding two baggage handlers to take the scooter down the lift. Clearly the boarding agent was the source of this problem.
Upon arrival in Dallas, I was pleasantly surprised when my scooter appeared unscathed at the plane’s door. But sadly my scooter story doesn’t end here. After immigration and customs clearance, the scooter broke down. A concerned passenger tried to help, but despite being a mechanic he couldn’t diagnose or fix the mechanical problem without proper tools. (Ironically this forced me to check the disabled scooter in Dallas and voluntarily pick it up in baggage claim in WPB.)
Meanwhile I had to get to my connecting gate without wheels to carry me, my CPAP, computer, coat, and handbag. This time I welcomed the wheelchair service. However, when the gate changed to another terminal requiring a SkyLink ride on the monorail, my wheelchair transporter tried to dump me onto a golf cart with a step too high for me to climb. I refused to switch. This was the first of seven gate changes—three on my original departure date and four the next day after my first flight was cancelled and rescheduled. Each change involved a prolonged wait for another transporter.
But God was in the details. I teamed up with another passenger connecting to WPB who also needed wheelchair service. We watched one others bags when we went to the bathroom, got something to eat, or requested a transporter. And when our flight was cancelled a Good Samaritan advocated to help us avoid going to gate number eight to rebook our flight and arrange vouchers for a hotel, taxi and meal.
I landed in WPB 25 hours later than planned at 12:30 a.m. Despite the early morning hour, prayers were answered when a baggage handler was there with a cart to carry the disabled scooter, a wheelchair transporter brought me to baggage claim, and good friends Lorrie and Garry brought me home.
God provided for all my needs.
For more of my writings, go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com where you can subscribe to my weekly blog and find retail links to my dwarfism memoir trilogy.
5 replies on “Disabled Scooter Airport Story”
What a nightmare getting home! And after being so sick while in Sydney! Glad you’re home and hopefully fully recovered.
Wow! What a trip. Glad you finally made it home safe and sound.
Thankful you made it back safely. Sounds like you need to write another book. Angela’s Great Adventures! 😉
What a bad airport experience! Well done for managing it all. God had you in his care for sure. Love Sue xx
So glad your back home!!!!!
Such a trip to go to Australia!
You’re back with Robert and family, South Florida Mini Gators send their love to you!