Airports and Wheelchairs...help!!!

[beksy]

This next trip will only be my second time flying and the first time flying with someone who needs a wheelchair so I'm a newbie with this and any advice is very welcome! My mom has RA and back problems so she can only walk short distances and stand for short periods of time. We have a regular wheelchair for her at home but are going to rent an ECV in Florida. We fly out of one of the D.C. airports, usually Dulles, and I know there is no way she could do all of that walking to get from the drop-off spot to the airport terminal. I can bring along her wheelchair to use for this but hate to drag it along just to use in the airports. Are there any accomodations in the airports or with the airlines for situations like this? Or would we be better off just bringing her chair along? Another possibility would be to rent the ECV before we left home and just use it. HELP!! I just don't know what is best or even possible!

[anneb]

The airport will supply a wheelchair when you check in, and will have someone escort (i.e., push) your Mom from check-in all the way to the gate. When you arrive in Orlando, the airline will have someone meet your mom with a wheelchair, again at the gate. (Usually they go right up to the door of the airplane.) We did this about 2 years ago with my mother-in-law, at Dulles airport (and Orlando).
Just call your airline in advance to tell them that you will need this assistance. There is no charge (but we tipped the person who pushed the chair). This worked very smoothly for us.
Both my father and a sister-in-law use a wheelchair, and both report being treated very, very well by the airlines.

[disneymom15]

We just used the service in Aug. When we checked in at the airline we requested a wheelchair. It worked great.
I would suggest renting the ecv from an off site supplier. You'll have it from the time you check in at the resort and until you check out. This also worked very well. I think the off site rentals are in better shape and less problematic. It was about $30 a day, make sure you pay for insurance. If your mom is like my mom you'll be glad you did. Lets just say she ran into walls more than once.