This Service Is Free Now, But For How Long?
So there I am at O’Hare Airport in Chicago–one of the busiest airports in the world. I had about thirty minutes before I was going to board so I decided to sit down for a little bit to rest my tired body. The seat I happened to get was right next to where the flights board. As I am waiting there, I notice the plane I am about to board is exiting and all the passengers start to come off. I see a few people exit and then a short delay and few people get off who are now in wheelchairs. A few more people get off and then again a few more people are deboarding in wheelchairs. This same process continues for a few more minutes before I hear one of the agents say to another we are short 4 wheelchairs since we had 18 people on the flight who needed extra assistance.
I thought wow…yes, that’s a lot of people but also that’s a lot of manpower and extra cost to American Airlines for needing to handle the situation. Since I never have needed a wheelchair for myself or anyone else, I was curious if it is free. After speaking with an agent at the airport and confirming this on the phone earlier today with American Airlines, it is FREE.
But for how long?
Clearly there is a cost to the airline for this service based on extra staff that they may need or extra wheelchairs that they need to purchase not to mention the space to store the wheelchairs.
With airlines dealing with rising fuel costs and trying to make a profit, will this service always be free? Airlines now are charging for food, window seats, and earphones, so why wouldn’t they eventually charge for wheelchairs?
- What do you think?
- Are there any other services that companies provide for free now that you think they might charge for down the road?
I look forward to your comments
P.S. I don’t believe airlines will charge for this service…or at least I hope they don’t, since I am getting older and will need one in a few years!
July 14th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Hmm, I could see a problem with charging for wheelchair use for one reason. When people who have to use a wheelchair for everyday use fly (such as my father who has been a paraplegic since contracting polio as a child) they are forced to have their personal wheelchairs stored with the checked baggage and use the narrower airline wheelchairs for boarding. Now would it be fair to take away him his only means of getting around and then charge him for it? I would say obviously not, that would be blatant discrimination. On the other hand you have people who can walk but not well or far, what about them?
I know when my dad flies he ends up disembarking last, but them he expects it because they can’t get the wheelchair down the aisle until everyone else has disembarked. This means the people disembarking with the wheelchairs are in their party. This doesn’t inconvenience the other passengers, just the the flight crew. But then they’re being paid, so it is really that bad for them?
Also, they do store the individual’s personal wheelchair in with packed baggage, but most wheelchairs nowadays are very lightweight and made with fiberglass or titanium like they make bicycles. I often break down my dad’s chair to put in the car trunk and would say it probably weighs 20-25 lbs or so and breaks down pretty compactly. Is that any worse than the heavy bags some people bring on? I believe the wheelchairs used to get people on or off the plane are stored at the terminals, not on the planes themselves.
I think being the child of disabled person does give me a very different perspective than most people on issues that affect the disabled and what being “disabled” or “handicapped” means.
–Jessi Boyd
July 14th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I would think that charging for wheelchair service would be opening the door for a huge lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The potential expense (and negative publicity) associated with a long court battle would far outweigh any revenue potential that might be gained from it.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Jessi - thanks for your comments.
Bill you could be right - the airlines could open themselves up for a lawsuit. I know that every airline is cutting costs or at least looking to cut costs every single day. US Airways just announced that aren’t showing movies anymore on 200 of their flights. By getting rid of the extra weight (system weighs 500 pounds) it will save them 10 million dollars a year.
I wonder if the airlines have at least discussed charging for the wheelchair service.
Thanks for your contribution.
Merrill
July 14th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Merrill,
I don’t exactly consider helping people out that way a service.
I think that if someone can find a way to apply a cost to extend basic human decency then we’re in more trouble than we think.
The challenge for the airline industry is that the core of their business models rely on fuel being relatively inexpensive. It’s not a matter of them charging for their services in order to cover their costs.
thanks,
kath
July 14th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Merrill,
Since the airlines are required by law to accommodate wheelchairs I wouldn’t think they could charge for this service, ever. The only thing it says the airlines can charge is for the oxygen (no oxygen containers on planes please!)
Here is a link to the government website:
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/disabled.htm
I think the airlines should charge extra for flights that are on time, since that never happens.
-Bryan
July 14th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
It just so happens that I injured my back & had trouble walking last week (first time). I had an important research project across the country, so I was very glad to use the free wheelchairs. But I would’ve been happy to pay.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I spent ten minutes staring out my window trying to think of what was free that could be charged for, and I have to say, was hard-pressed to come up with much that was free. But here goes:
Please don’t charge me for:
1. Paper towels (or stupid hot air blowers) in restrooms.
2. Worse - toilet paper! Can you imagine? Pay by the sheet!
3. Tap water on ice in a restaurant.
4. Cold drink straws, coffee lids.
5. 911
6. To use my remote - 10 cents to Comcast every time I change the channnel!
7. FedEx envelopes
8. Library books
9. Green Lights
10. Hotel shampoo
11. Airline peanuts
12. Google
13. Park Benches
That’s it - I have a headache -
July 15th, 2008 at 7:33 am
OK – let me FREE ASSOCIATE……In Monopoly there’s FREE PARKING, wrestling has the FREE NELSON, Independence Day has just past, when we celebrate our FREEDOM or shop at stores offering BUY ONE GET ONE FREE. If it’s hot on the outside, it’s FREON the inside. All the more reason for ice cream in the FREEZER, or go to Cold Stone it’s a SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT.
Or hit the FREEWAY, hitch a FREE RIDE, cruising and FREE-WHEELING in the FREE LANE listening to “FREE BIRD” on the way to FREEPORT.
Or you can exercise your right to FREE SPEECH (it’s a FREE COUNTRY after all) in FREDONIA and have FREE RUN OF THE PLACE ‘cause you’re BORN FREE and wanna LIVE FREE OR DIE, so LET FREEDOM RING. Sure go ahead – take my FREE ADVICE (before the price goes up) you’re a FREE SPIRIT right? So be FREE WITH YOUR MONEY, BE FREE WITH YOUR TIME, BE FREE WITH YOUR BODY – FREE WILL!!! FREE LOVE!!! FREE PRESS!!! FREE PUBLICITY!!!
ALAN FREID did! Started that rock and roll thing and the whole world went into a FREEFALL, hippies and FREAKS shouting about FREE ENTERPRISE and FREE TRADE, poets writing in FREE VERSE, bra-less girls wearing FRESIA in their hair, artists drawing FREEHAND, druggies FREEBASING and FREELOADING and looking for FREE ASSETS or FREE SAMPLES, purists wanting CAFFEINE FREE this, SUGAR FREE that, GLUTEN FREE the other thing! It’s a lotta fun til the cops yell “FREEZE – nobody move!”
Meanwhile, the Astronauts are playing golf and FREE STANDING on the Moon, eating FREEZE DRIED food, while their kids on Earth are enjoying FREE SWIM at the pool, chomping on FREEZ’R POPS. Batters are swinging in the FREE SWING BOX, protesters protesting anything siding with Mandela and others “FREE ELECTIONS” Vote for the FREEMASON, Elect the FREEHOLDER. But they all promise the same thing - a FREE LUNCH – FREE AND CLEAR! FREE ELECTRONS! FREE RADICALS if you ask me!!! What a FREE FOR ALL – I cry foul and wanna shot from the FREE THROW LINE.
A FREQUENT contributor.
In answer to part A – hopefully never. – like charging for handicap parking
Part B – public restrooms, civil liberties.
Now, back to report writing, and gotta get that FREE ESTIMATE out before I have a second cup of tea with FAT-FREE milk.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:03 am
Bryan S,
Thanks so much for providing the link. I wasn’t 100% sure if there was a law in place.
Merrill
July 16th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Brian O,
Sorry to hear about you hurting your back. I actually would pay for the service if I needed to but obviously would rather not have too.
Hope you are feeling better.
Merrill
July 16th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Jeffrey/Steve.
Great lists! I appreciate you putting some thought into this and sharing your comments.
Merrill
July 16th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Interesting. I recently read in Wall Street Journal that many airline executives are not too far from seriously considering charging customers by weight or at least adding a surcharge. The justification is that the customers are technically “freight” and all other freight is charged typically by weight and in some cases size/dimension. The way things are headed, this wouldn’t surprise me much.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Khary,
Interesting comment. I haven’t heard that but it would surprise me either. Yesterday I had to change my flight so we called the airline twice and got two different prices. We confirmed the second price which turned out to be less expensive. When I go to the airport the receipt they gave me didn’t match the price they quoted me. After speaking with the customer service person she looked at me and said i am so sorry with all of these recent changes regarding charges I have no idea what it is and cant explain it to you.
Welcome to travel in 2008 and beyond!
Merrill