Airline Travel in Australia

I've found it very difficult to find information about Airline Travel in Australia with MS. Specifically how to manage using a Personal Wheelchair.

Here's my experiences.

 

Qantas

April, 2013. Excellant.

Checkin : In each case a Qantas staff member approached us and directed us to the Checkin Counter. On Checkin, we asked to use the Wheelchair right through to the boarding gate. .

Having checked our luggage we then proceeded to the Security Barrier. I was directed down one side of the X-Ray machine. While remaining in the Wheelchair, a Security person scanned a wand over my upper body, legs, arms and then got me to lean forward and scanned my back. . My walking stick and personal items went through the X-Ray machine. I collected them and was cleared.

At the boarding gate, once boarding started, people who needed assistance were called first. A Ground Crew member wheeled me to the Plane door. I was asked if I could walk (which I can with something to hold onto). I then boarded the plane and used the seat backs for support to get to my seat. My wheelchair was taken at the plane door to be stowed under the plane.

Arrival : I was asked to remain in my seat until last and then proceeded back to the plane door. Once there, my wheelchair was waiting with a Ground Crew member who wheeled my up the ramp back to the boarding lounge.

Area for improvement ? Couldn't seem to indicate I was in a wheelchair when booking online.

Virgin

May, 2013. Excellant.

Checkin. Very similar to Qantas. You can use you own wheelchair right up till boarding

Boarding : Same as Qantas except that they put us in Row 5 to minimise the walking. Excellant. Seemed to be because I could indicate I was using a Wheel chair when booking.

 

JetStar

May, 2013. You get what you pay for.

Checkin. We were directed to Checkin counter. We were then directed to Over-size baggage. I then had to transferr from my wheelchair to a transit-chair. There was nothing external to hold onto. So it was standup, trun around, use the arm rests to shuffle sideways to the transit chair, turn around and then sit down. Unsafe and quite frightening,

Security: Put your stuff through X-Ray (including walking stick). I was then asked to get out of the Transit chair and walk through the metal detector. I said "fine, but I need a walking stick". He says "don't you have one ?". I say "yes, but I had to put it through the X-Ray machine".. By now there's a queue behind me. After moments of confusion, someone asks the woman behind the X-Ray machine to pass me a walking stick . That done, I stand up

Once in the Transit  chair all self control is gone. My brother pushed me to the boarding gate. The flight was delayed 2 hours, so at one point my brother had to push me into the disabled toilet. II wonder what would've happened if I was travelling alone ? Would a JetStar staff member have stayed with me for 2 hours ? Would they have taken me to the food court so I could get a meal ?

Boarding : People needing assistance asked to board first. My brother wheeled me to the plane door. I was asked if I could walk. To thier Credit, they'd seated us in Row 3.

Arrival : Another Transit chair was waiting at the plane door. Once down at baggage collection, a Ground Crew member wheeled my wheelchair out . We collected it and repeated the awkward and scary transfer from the Transit Chair to my Wheel chair.