Why 156 Seats?

[JS]

I think the wheel chair in front is part of the emergency equipment. But yes, there is one there. The ADA required a person to be able to carryon/stow their own wheelchair onboard. Now, why that is required is beyond me, but I am sure there is a good reason.

The fact that the person having a w/c onboard cannot use it, due to it not fitting down the aisle and the fact that most w/c bound people gets accomodated in the front row, with the chair in the back, has nor relevance I suppose.

I fully support the right of disabled people, but in this case, I cannot see how it benefitted them.

I agree with you but I think the reason the feds cracked down on B6 is that most other airlines allowed wheelchair stowage in the cabin. Why that's important rather than careful gate checking (like a stroller) is beyond me, but I'm sure some advocate for the differently-abled (handicapped is no longer PC, is it?) could fill us in.

"Careful gate checking" -- that's a good one!

OK, most gate checked items come out the other end unscathed, but I bet there were one too many wheelchairs that were scratched, bent, etc., and so disabled people (it's "cripple" that's not PC) might prefer to keep the wheelchair in the cabin.

You people who complain about having to stow a wheelchair in the cabin should count your blessings.

 

[Diesel8]

"You people who complain about having to stow a wheelchair in the cabin should count your blessings."

I think we all do and nowhere in this thread, can I detect any sarcasm, complaining or ill will. The question was ,why it is neccesary to stow it in the cabin and yes, your explanation sounds plausible, but what the real reason is, I honestly do not know.

 

[AAmech]

The actual usefulness of having a chair in the cabin rather than gatechecked like a stroller is beyond me. Since passengers requiring wheelchairs almost always sit in the first row or two, and the chair is stored in the back, it will actually take significantly longer for them to deplane than if the chair had been stored below. But I guess for every "right" there are some people who insist on exercising it whether it makes sense or not.

It really is ridiculous! My mother uses a wheelchair and when she non-revs on AA they gatecheck it at the fwd entry and at arrival the ramp crews immediatly pull it from cargo and its waiting on the jetbridge for her when she exits.

 

[Blue Dude]

It really is ridiculous! My mother uses a wheelchair and when she non-revs on AA they gatecheck it at the fwd entry and at arrival the ramp crews immediatly pull it from cargo and its waiting on the jetbridge for her when she exits.

Exactly right. It works very well. It's only when you have to stow the chair in the cabin that significant delays occur. Not to mention the fact that when the plane is full, three paying passengers get bumped to make room for what is essentially cargo.

 

[BlueCrew]

The issue with allowing an owner's wheelchair on board as opposed to checking it has to do with the ADA/ACAA. Regardless of how careful a ramper is in moving and securing a wheelchair, damage occurs on occasion (rampers: I've had to help carry one of those electric wheelchairs down the jetway stairs...thousands of dollars and hundreds of pounds with an unusual center of gravity--I feel your pain!)...and it's not like wrecking the owner's scooter...it's more like cutting off their legs--this is their mobility. Call it peace of mind or what have you, but it's the right thing to do and indeed law for a reason. The "onboard wheelchair" (permanent equipment on the aircraft that we store in the forward galley) allows for mobility on the aircraft.

 

[orangeman]

The issue with allowing an owner's wheelchair on board as opposed to checking it has to do with the ADA/ACAA. Regardless of how careful a ramper is in moving and securing a wheelchair, damage occurs on occasion (rampers: I've had to help carry one of those electric wheelchairs down the jetway stairs...thousands of dollars and hundreds of pounds with an unusual center of gravity--I feel your pain!)...and it's not like wrecking the owner's scooter...it's more like cutting off their legs--this is their mobility. Call it peace of mind or what have you, but it's the right thing to do and indeed law for a reason. The "onboard wheelchair" (permanent equipment on the aircraft that we store in the forward galley) allows for mobility on the aircraft.

Forgive me please...Are you speaking of "motorized" chairs or personnal chairs that can be folded and one might fit in said space per ADA? There is not room for a "motorized" chair on any A/C that I am aware of. I mean in the cabin. The recent fines that were levied against many carriers now require that 1 W/C can be stowed in the cabin. I work for WN and the planes are being fitted with a larger area aft that use to be a portfolio compartment. The emergency equipment has been shuffled in the back and there is now a large compartment for a W/C. 1 W/C! As mentioned these folks usually sit in the front and now must wait longer than if thier personal W/C was checked and brought up from the cargo bin. Once again legislation outpaces common sense!

 

[jimntx]

No device with a "spillable" battery, including a motorized wheelchair, is permitted in the passenger cabin.

From the FAA Office of Civil Rights...
" Carriers must permit one folding wheelchair to be stowed in a cabin closet, or other approved priority storage area, if the aircraft has such areas and stowage can be accomplished in accordance with FAA safety regulations. If the passenger using it pre-boards, stowage of the wheelchair takes priority over the carry-on items brought on by other passengers enplaning at the same airport (including passengers in another cabin, such as First Class), but not over items of passengers who boarded at previous stops.

When stowed in the cargo compartment, wheelchairs and other assistive devices must be given priority over cargo and baggage, and must be among the first items unloaded. Mobility aids shall be returned to the owner as close as possible to the door of the aircraft (consistent with DOT hazardous materials regulations) or at the baggage claim area, in accordance with whatever request was made by the passenger before boarding."

This is the rule, but I've never been able to find any historical justification for the rule. I've heard everything from damage to a checked wheelchair, to delays in bringing the wheelchair up to the ramp, to a disabled person suing to have the wheelchair ruled a carry-on.

Before I was furloughed, I do remember waiting with a passenger on a jetbridge for almost an hour before the wheelchair assist person arrived to take the passenger to their connecting gate. But, that was not an issue of the passenger having their own wheelchair. It was just crappy service by the company providing the escort service at that particular airport.

Audio-nut posted, "I thought there was a "drink cart" that could store a wheelchair located in the aft left position in the foward galley."

FAA regulations prohibit storing anything in any space that does not have a latching door. I.E., you cannot store anything in an empty drink cart space. FAA regs ALSO prohibit storing anything in an empty cart. Flight attendants are notorious for putting their bags in empty drink carts to have them nearby in the galley. It is a violation to do so. (Plus, I have a friend who lost her bags when catering came on to resupply during deplaning and she forgot that her bags were in one of the empty carts.)

The really fun part for the gate agents and crews were flights, such as DFW-FAT, which for some reason always had at least 3 wheelchair passengers Of course, every one of those passengers wanted their wheelchair to be the one stowed on board rather than gate checked.

 

[mweiss]

FAA regulations prohibit storing anything in any space that does not have a latching door.

When did this change? I remember well into the 1980s Republic was flying DC9s with open overhead bins.

 

[jimntx]

When did this change? I remember well into the 1980s Republic was flying DC9s with open overhead bins.

I have no idea when it changed, I just know that is the rule now. And, when was the last time that you saw an open overhead bin in this country? The last time I saw one was on an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Odessa in the early 90's. (Now that was an experience! When they ran out of overhead space, they just stacked the rest of the luggage at the front of the cabin!!!!)

 

[mga707]

When did this change? I remember well into the 1980s Republic was flying DC9s with open overhead bins.

I too remember flying on a Republic (ex-Hughes Airwest) DC-9-15 in early 1983 that still had open overhead racks. I also remember the FA's dissuading passengers from stashing carryons up there, making them use the underseat area for same, explaining that FAA regs allowed only coat and hat storage above. So, I guess the reg was in place 21 years ago.