Anee,
  I first flew from Louisville to Boston for four years of rehab when I was
7 and prayerfully will be flying to Charlottte, NC in the next three weeks
aboard a small plane supposedly specially designed to meet ADA standards for
wide aisles. Most of the time i have used a small seat that looks like a
bicycle back to navigate narrow aisles. This device was formerly jknown as
an invalid chair, but mercifully that phrasing has long since gone out of
fasshion.Please pardon my owmn spellings and my diversionary longwindedness.
when i flew from pittsburgh to portland,Maine once seven years ago now,I had
an interesting experience you might profit frtom. My frreind picking mre up
worked the night shift and thus my flight arrived conveniently at 1030
pm.You are typically the first one on in boarding a plane and the last one
off when disembarking.When 4 or five people helped me towards the exit door,
for av few minutes, i honestly couldnt tell what was wrong with this
picture. And then it dawned on me-there were no jetways, no pportable ramps
connectinbg the plane with the terminal.I  was the n informed tthat Bert,
the sole aiurtport specialist who knew how  to opperarte this ramping
equipment, had gone home at 930 per his usual custom.So i had to be carried
by five people down the portable steps!
Moralm of the story:
1( Arrive early for your flight so you can be pree-boarded.
2) Make sure that you reqquest full assistance at all points, including Salt
lake, and make sure that request gets into the computer system so everybody
will be operating on the same page.
3. ) inquire about the availibility of jetrways in idaho-berts opposite
number might be prevailed upon to work a few extra hours if he knew matters
in advance!
The airlinesv ferry a great number o special travel populations every day,
especially with the advent of bicoastal divorce aas children jet between
custody sessions.Stewardesses and even the captain wont mind chatting with
you or helping you. you might get some wings alongside your peanuts. oh,
yes, never drink a full can oof sosda in flight!
I am sure others herre also have ex[periewnces to offer.Please feel free to
write me offlist should you have any specific qureries.

Blessings asnd Bon Voyage

Sam Eden
Wilmore, KY
-----Original Message-----
From: Anee Stanford <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, July 27, 1999 4:54 PM
Subject: Air travel stories


>Good day everyone,
>
>As some of you may know in Augest I am going to a wedding in Idaho.  This
>will be the first time since Easter Seals Camp in the 7th grade that I will
>be on my own so to speak.  I am flying from Dallas to Salt Lake changing
>planes and then on to Idaho.
>
>I was wondering if anyone has some travel stories --especialy air
>travel--that they would like to share.  This will not be my first plane
trip
>as we flew on planes going and coming from our military assignment in
Germany
>when I was in 4th and 6th grades.   But it will be my first time flying
>indipendently--that is without my parents or anything--yeppie!
>
>Anee