Traveling in a wheelchair is often a stressful and complex process. Society has yet to fully accommodate those who rely on using a wheelchair and flying in an airplane. I have flown on an airplane about four times since my injury 13 years ago. The first time I flew after my injury, I was going to Durango, Colorado, for an adaptive ski program that I got accepted into.
I had mixed feelings. I was both excited and nervous. I have always enjoyed flying, but this was my first time after my injury. I thought to myself, "How is this going to work?" I know how skinny airplane aisles are and had no idea how they would get a paralyzed person onto a plane.
As I am rolling down the terminal in my big powerchair to board the plane, I see this tiny chair waiting for me. If you haven’t traveled in a wheelchair before, the airline has you board first before any of the passengers, and when you land, you have to wait until everyone is off. As I get to the end of the terminal where it connects to the plane, I must stop. This is the farthest I can go in my powerchair. I am told I will have to transfer onto what is called an ‘aisle chair’.
This thing is so tiny and skinny. I am about 6 feet tall and weigh 180 pounds. Looking at the chair, I think there is no way I will fit in this thing! I get help transferring onto the chair, and my knees are up to my chest because my legs are so long. My balance is not very good, so I have someone hold me up while I get strapped in. I get tied in with a harness to hold my upper body and a strap around my knees to hold my legs together. I felt like I was being crammed into a tiny chair that didn’t fit me.