- Travelers who rely on mobility devices can face extra challenges if they arrive on a trip abroad to find those devices damaged.
- Some pre-trip planning can go a long way to making for smooth travels.
- If something does go wrong, it’s important to report it quickly and know what airlines are expected to do.
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Daniela Joseph said as much as she loves to travel, a damaged wheelchair is making her second-guess how much she flies.
She was flying from her home in Virginia to Frankfurt, Germany, via Lisbon on TAP Air Portugal in April, and when she arrived for her connection, she said her wheelchair came back damaged.
“The back was completely bent, the tire can’t lock in the chair right anymore,” she told USA TODAY. “The brakes are broken, meaning I can’t stop my chair from rolling. The seat is ripped.”
For Joseph, the situation was complicated by the fact that she’s splitting her time between Germany and the U.S., and that her wheelchair was delivered to her in the states.
“No German dealer wants to work with an American-issued chair,” she said. “When it comes to an estimate, they can’t really give an estimate because they don’t know the prices that are charged in the United States.”
Travelers who rely on mobility devices can face extra challenges if they arrive on a trip abroad to find those devices damaged.
“You’re such at the mercy of what happens to…
