For wheelchair users, the most stressful part of flying often isn’t the flight itself
A pair of events focused on making air travel accessible for people with disabilities offered more than panel discussions, roundtables and ideas. Tangible innovations designed to do the same thing were also part of the agenda.
Fall’s All Wheels Up Global Forum, sponsored by Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), and the Access to the Skies Summit, hosted by PVA, work with different stakeholders to make flying safer and more dignified for travelers with disabilities, especially those who use wheelchairs. Held back-to-back Sept. 28-Oct. 1 at Hotel Polaris in Colorado Springs, Colo., the events brought together officials from airlines, airports and governments, as well as travel influencers, leaders from PVA and others, to discuss ideas to keep travelers and their equipment safe.
Beyond discussions on creating a seamless curb-to-plane experience, improving connectivity and accountability among service providers, and allowing travelers to stay in their wheelchairs on the plane, several exhibitors showcased products they believe can improve the flying experience now and in the future for passengers in wheelchairs.
Beneficial Ideas
One major topic was how to avoid damaging manual and power wheelchairs when flying, and Beneficial Designs offered two ideas that can help now and in the future.
Led by Director of Research and Development and PVA member Peter Axelson, Beneficial Designs’ first featured product is a simple 8 ½-by-11, two-sided card that can be attached to a wheelchair. The Air Travel Configuration Card includes the traveler’s name, contact information and wheelchair serial number, along with instructions on how to prepare the chair for air travel. The card includes illustrations and step-by-step instructions for baggage handlers to properly configure a power or manual wheelchair for flying and stow it in the cargo hold. Travelers can find a free, customizable Travel Configuration Card at beneficialdesigns.com/air-travel/air-travel-configuration-card.
Axelson presented another idea from Beneficial Designs during the Access to the Skies Summit that goes a step further than an instruction card. The Padded Tipping Plate, or wheelchair sled, is an actual air travel packing system for power wheelchairs. Still undergoing testing at multiple airports, the sled secures a power wheelchair to a padded, composite plate with six straps. In addition to protecting the chair, the sled lets the power chair be safely placed on its side and transported while tipped. This lets baggage handlers orient the chair to fit various cargo hold hatches better. For more information, visit beneficialdesigns.com/air-travel/tipping.
Pack It Up
Meanwhile, another packing system that’s available now also offers air travel protection for manual wheelchairs.
Cyle Metzger, PhD, at Aegis Adaptive has created an individual travel case for manual wheelchairs. Displayed outside the conference room for both events, the Aegis Armor is billed as the first collapsible, hard-sided travel case for manual wheelchairs. It’s made of durable, lightweight paneling and waterproof fabric, weighs less than 8 pounds and folds into a backpack when not in use. Designed to fit various manual and sport wheelchairs, the base and dome-like hood can be installed in less than five minutes, and it features a pocket for an ID and remote tracking.
A wheelchair user since 2023 due to the effects of several autoimmune diseases and a congenital hip malformation, Metzger says the Aegis Armor is “an immediate solution to an immediate problem.” During his Access to the Skies Summit presentation, he says airlines have expressed interest in his packing system since it could save them thousands of dollars in repairs and other expenses.
The Armor is available in three levels, ranging from $995 to $1,595 at aegisadaptive.com. Aegis also has a similar version for power chairs, called the Aegis Power, and currently has a waitlist open for the upcoming production run.
For more information on the All Wheels Up Global Forum and Access to the Skies Summit, read Sharing Common Air in the December issue of PN.