Ryanair and walking sticks

[banyuls diver]

I'm flying out to France tomorrow with dear old Ryanair. Neither their British or Irish help line seems to work(I've been trying to ring them all week!)Thing is I'm bringing my elderly mum with me. She is still reasonably fit but airports mean a lot of walking which would be a lot easier if she's allowed to bring her walking stick. Can't find any reference to walking sticks on the Ryanair web site and can't e-mail or talk to anyone. Does anyone on the forum know the answer?

[NormanH]

I have taken one on Flybe and on easyjet, but have never used Ryanair.

Can't see why not in principle

[cooperlola]

I don't know about Ryanair, but when my 84 year old mother travels by air, she takes a telescopic stick (of the sort walkers use) with her as they fold up nice and neatly and fit in a hold sized bag if necessary.  Dirt cheap in Decathlon, btw, and they sell a variant with a proper rubber ferule.  Just a thought.

[Benjamin]

After Ryanair's infamous climbdown when trying to charge people extra for wheelchairs I can't even see good old Michael having the neck to object to anyone using and taking a walking stick onto one of his 'planes.

When you get to the airport look around for a wheelchair then pop your Mom into it. It takes a bit of expertise handling a wheelchair and a luggage trolley but you'll soon get the hang of it. When you book in ask to be met with a wheelchair at your arrivals airport and someone should be there to meet you as you exit the 'plane.

After checking in use the wheelchair all the way through passport control and simply leave it in the departure lounge just before you board. If your Mom has difficulty getting up the aircraft steps then ask for altrnative assistance in helping her board. We used to do this all the time before Mrs Benjamin needed her wheelchair all the time.

Best of luck.

[banyuls diver]

Thank you for all your replies. The walking stick is one of the collapsable type. We'll take it with us to Birmingham tomorrow as it will make life sooo much easier. Mum is 88 but looking forward to a break at our "other home" in the P.O.

Will let you know how we get on.

[Ron Avery]

Benjamin

That is not sound advice that you are giving to a mobility impaired person travelling with Ryanair. You might have been able to get a wheel chair and use it through the airport  at some places and/or just turn up and ask for assistance with some airlines but I really would not recommend it with Ryanair.

 If you have a mobility impaired person and that does not mean wheelchair bound, and they need assistance with transportation to and onto the aircraft, you must notify Ryanair at the time of booking, it does not cost any extra, we all pay the wheelchair levy now as part of the charges.

If you just try and turn up and seek assistance at the airport or onto the plane, you run a very real risk of not being allowed to travel if they already have four passengers who need assistance and have already booked it.  There is no need for anybody to struggle through the corridors of an airport and up stairs and escalators when assistance can be pre-booked.  It is for everybody's well being that only four passengers who would need assistance with disembarkation in an emergency are allowed on Ryanair flights because that is the number of staff who would be available to help.  Also remember that anyone not registering for assistance and without priority boarding would have to wait in line and join the plane along with the rest of the passengers, there is no elderly and people with children first anymore with Ryanair, its those yellow tickets that count.

[MrCanary]

I believe it is well-documented that I am not a fan of Ryanair, but I do agree that you should inform them at the time of the booking.

I have seen some excellent examples of disabled people being assisted on and off aircraft, so help is available. However, I am fairly sure the assistance I have witnessed, in my thankfully reducing numbers of flights with them, has been given by airport staff and not Ryanair staff - but it is there to be had.

Best wishes for your trip...

[Nell]

I've travelled Ryanair twice in the last three months with my elderly Dad - 81. He uses a walking stick and we had no problem whatsoever on any of the four flights we took.

First time I enquired about special assistance/wheelchair (yes, talking to a human being at the Ryanair call centre who was very helpful)  but between us we agreed that  it wasn't necessary. Dad's capable of walking, just needs the stick for extra support. But I did book priority and this worked out well. It was just enough to give us that extra bit of time to board the plane without the crowds bearing down on us.

And for anyone flying out of Girona, where there is a  considerable number of steps to get down on departure, a tip - there's a lift which they use  for wheelchair passengers. I asked to use it  - 'no problem' and it helped considerably as stairs are a bit laborious for Dad.

In terms of just turning up and blagging a wheelchair - I wouldn't follow this advice. The only way to guarantee getting one and being able to use it all the way through the airport, is to book it in advance.  

[banyuls diver]

We don't need a wheelchair, just the walking stick. We only have cabin bags to avoid the standing in the check-in queue. We have checked in on-line so have received priority boarding passes, so hopefully the journey won't be too bad.

[Graham & Brenda]

My son, who had damaged his knee badly, was allowed to take a folding aluminium walking stick onto Ryanair recently.  

[banyuls diver]

Thats good to hear.

[Benjamin]

I hope by now banyuls diver that those kind and helpful people with the funny accents at Birmingham International airport have seen you safely on your way.

Yes Ron it was a bit cavalier of me when making that posting when my last experience was at least 18 months ago and the situation with the locos is so fast moving.

As far as I know however the wheelchairs that are lying about the departure terminals are owned by the airport and not by the carriers. Whether or not we call people mobility impaired or just slow walkers doesn't stop them from using a wheelchair. OK at check in they'll no doubt be asked if they need assistance boarding and so long as the answer is no then there is no reason why they can't proceed to the departure lounge and leave the wheelchair there before they board the 'plane.

If slow walkers couldn't be accomodated in this manner Fuengirola would be half empty in the Winter.  [:D]

[Cat]

Straying ever so slightly off subject, priority boarding now seems to be a bit of a farce.  Last time I flew, about 70% of the passengers seemed to have taken the priority boarding option, which meant that when the flight was announced and priority boarders were invited to go to the desk, almost everyone rushed forward, and ended up queueing for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Where's the benefit of that?

I just sat and read my book until the rush had died down and I could walk straight to the desk, but that only works for lone travellers.

[banyuls diver]

Glaad to say we've been  to France and back  with no problems regarding the walking stick.