Flying with disabled passengers (Thomas Cook Airlines)

Member Name: kerries

Product:	Thomas Cook Airlines
Date:	18/05/04 (937 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendly staff, option of not having hot meal, services provided for disabled travellers

Disadvantages: can't think of any.

We've just come back from a holiday in Costa Blanca and as first time flyers of Thomas Cook Airlines I felt I had to comment on the service we received.

Our party consisted of myself, my husband, brother and sister-in-law, 2 two year olds and my 6 year old nephew who is severley disabled. He has a condition called Metachromatic Leukodystrophy which among other things renders him unable to walk, talk or sit up unaided.

Our main concern with this holiday and more importantly the flight was comfort for Connor and ease for ourselves. We were also quite adament that Connor was to remain in his wheelchair as long as possible and for it to be loaded in the hold along with the buggies before boarding. Thomas Cook Airlines provided just that. I had paid for pre-booked seats and was pleased to find that we were given rows 1 and 2 there and back. I also paid a £50 deposit for an Airchair for Connor which sat within the plane seats and had all the necessary harnesses.

After checking in at Gatwick Airport we joined the queue for the security check. The lady who checked in our luggage had left her desk and found us to advise that she knew what gate we were departing from and would we require assistance. Before we boarded they asked if we would like to wait til the very end so that we wouldn't feel pressured to seat 3 children while everyone was waiting for us to get out of their way. The flight left on time (which I very rarely experience).

On the homeward journey we were a little aprehensive thinking that the service might not be as efficient as Gatwick Airport. How wrong could we be. Again we were allowed the wheelchair until the very end. Connor has trouble sitting up straight even with harnesses on so they provided him with pillows. Towards the end of the flight he started to get uncomfortable so I got him out of his chair to hold him so he could have a stretch and within 10 minutes the seatbelt lights came on. I aske

d one of the Stewards if I could stand with him until the last possible minute. He said "no problem" and advised all the other staff of what I was doing.

Because the flight left Alicante early (another first for me) when we arrived at Gatwick Airport the Loaders hadn't arrived. Everybody had departed the plane but we remained. We felt that we were getting in the way of the Crew and offered to carry him to the baggage reclaim but they were adament that we remained where we were in the comfort of the plane until Connors wheelchair arrived. They were all very friendly, we even had a chat to the Pilot. Once Connors chair had arrived the Crew left as well and as we were strapping him into his chair, rounding up the other two children and hand luggage each member of the Crew took time to say good-bye and have a safe journey home.

Unfortunately, our holiday itself wasn't as good as we would have hoped (the weather being the main problem) but it sure was helped by the service provided by Thomas Cook Airlines and there attentiveness to our needs.

I will certainly be flying with them again.

Summary: