You buy budget airline tickets. This is what you have to deal with. |
I used to feel this way, before travelling with my parents and ILs. They all “look” able bodied, but one person has a serious disease that affects his cartilage and walking long distances feels like his bones grating together. Another had a knee replacement that didn’t heal correctly. One is recovering from leukemia. There are so so so many different issues that you can’t see but that make walking through ginormous airports very difficult. This is a service provided, they are allowed to utilize it, and they SHOULD.
Unfortunately posts like this trying to shame people for using available services can mean people skip out on using them and end up in unnecessary pain. It’s actually kind of dangerous to be so rude about these services. |
Mind your own damn business. I had to use this sometimes in my thirties. I would have looked fine to you. And yes I could walk some. Just not the long haul distances in airports. And I could not stand in long lines.
I will say, my then boyfriend, once I was better, sort of half jokingly suggested I keep using it when we flew internationally once. I refused, but it made me question his morals. If people are truly faking, they are bad people and will get what's coming to them eventually, through karma or whatnot. But those people are few and far between. Also FYI using the wheelchair can be annoying - it can take a while to come, sometimes the person jerks you around a lot, etc. |
Sometimes people who seem able-bodied to a passing stranger have issues walking longer distances. That was the case with my mom, who toward the end of her life had neuropathy as a chemo side effect. It often made walking painful, although she could technically walk. |
I had to use one of these when I was about 35 and I looked so healthy, and had zero issues that you would know about. visibly even if you saw me walk. You have no idea |
Yes, it's fine. Gallows humor is what gets medical staff through their very stressful days. |
My mom (now deceased) would have looked like an abuser to you. She could walk when she started requesting a wheelchair for airports, but she could not HEAR the overhead announcements. She missed a flight once when the gate was changed and she did not hear the announcement. She asked for a wheelchair after that because it was the only way to get a person to accompany her and that person could hear what gate to go to, any changes, delays, etc. She didn't need help when she was flying back home because a family member met her at the gate as she disembarked.
So, don't assume that it's always illegitimate. |
Nope, it's deplorable behavior. I hope they talk shit about you next time you're having a procedure. |
How do you know they aren't in need? How can you tell from looking at someone? I look very healthy on the outside, but I'm not (of course, I'd never get on a plane now but that's a different issue). |
Delta usually put my deaf aunt in a wheelchair. She could not hear anything. The airline did it because she could not hear audio announcements. She was able-bodied other than being deaf.
Note well - she did not ask for a wheel chair. The airline insisted on it when they learned she was deaf. |
Most people don’t have any desire to use a wheelchair. It’s inconvenient. You’re probably judging fit looking older people who had hip surgery or similar. |
They are not volunteers at IAD it's a company that pays poorly. You arrange in advance with airline. |
+1 Christina Applegate talks about this in her podcast about MS; some disabilities are not outwardly apparent. OP is ignorant. |
Regardless of whether it’s a genuine physical need or abusing the system, I don’t really understand why there isn’t an automatic cost for requiring these additional services. How is it any different from having to pay extra for a minor traveling solo or a larger person having to pay more for an extra seat? |
I fully appreciate all the posters here saying that you can’t tell people’s additional needs just from looking. However, I know that there are abusers because my MIL is one of them. She can and does walk miles, but today she told us she booked the wheelchair service at the airport because she can’t be bothered with the hassle of walking with her bag. |