Disabled fliers should not face travel handicaps

Recently, while waiting for a flight from Salt Lake City to Chicago, I was seated next to a woman whose leg was in a full-length cast. The ski resorts were just starting to open for the season, so I asked her if she had injured herself on the mountain.

She said she had actually slipped off a curb in Los Angeles and was returning to Chicago. But her trip was definitely going downhill.

It seems the injury wasn't nearly as painful as trying to fly home.

Apparently, when she got to Los Angeles International Airport, she couldn't find a skycap with a wheelchair, so she had to walk to her gate. When she got to security, she was pulled aside for a more thorough check. And when she finally arrived at the boarding gate and asked the agent for an aisle seat, he acted extremely put out and told her he couldn't guarantee the seat; she would have to wait and see.

The poor woman was close to tears. She said she would have to cancel her flight if she didn't get an aisle seat because there was no way she could sit in a middle seat with a leg she couldn't bend.

Finally, after making her feel like a complete burden, the agent begrudgingly found an aisle seat for the poor lady.

The woman clearly didn't know about the Air Carrier Access Act that was passed by our government in 1986. The act prevents airlines and airports from discriminating against people with disabilities. All United States airports and all carriers flying within the United States must abide by these rules and be handicap accessible.

But with overcrowded airports and understaffed airlines, it isn't always easy for a person with a disability to get through the system. So, here are some ways to make air travel more trouble free when you have physical limitations:

• Plan ahead. Unless you're traveling on a stretcher or plan to use oxygen during the flight, you don't need a doctor's note to fly. And you don't need to carry a handicap tag to get service. But if you have special needs, you do need to make sure the carrier you plan to use offers the services (some airlines, such as Southwest Airlines, don't allow passengers to board with medical oxygen).

If you need a special service, such as a wheelchair or assistance boarding the aircraft, contact your airline at least 48 hours in advance and arrive at your gate with an hour to spare before departure.

Even if you don't give advance notice, the airline must still try to grant your needs, but it's a gray area and they're off the hook if it would cause a flight delay.

• Know your airplane's limitations. Not all aircraft are created equal. Some airplanes have movable aisle armrests to make it easier to sit down. And if they do have them, the locations can vary. Some of the smaller aircraft have limited storage space for wheelchairs and might not be large enough to accommodate an in-aisle wheelchair. But you won't know what's available unless you ask the airline.

• Know your rights. If you need assistance in boarding or deplaning, the airline is required by law to help you. And you should not have to deal with surly airline employees.

The United Spinal Association has published a pamphlet that outlines all the rules of air travel for people with disabilities. You can access the pamphlet at www.unitedspinal.org. And the Department of Transportation also offers information for passengers traveling with disabilities at the Web site www.dot.gov.

Remember, the airline is a service industry and you deserve to be treated with respect. Don't leave the ground without it.