Taking my wheelchair abroad via Easyjet to Lanzarote

When you arrive at Manchester airport (having booked assistance from the airline) there is a special reception area to which you make your way and give in your name. Then you can sit and wait in comfort until your "pusher" arrives (if you are travelling alone).

If you cannot get to the special area without help there is a notice with a courtesy phone or button to press at the very entrance to the terminal. They will then send someone out with a wheelchair to collect you. That was how it was last time I travelled.

I dont know how it is now with the much publicised queues and congestion but the airport does have special bays for wheelchair passengers and so does every other airport I have ever been to. So you should only be waiting behind any other "assistance" passengers.

An aunt of mine at 87 travelling from Australia to UK asked for assistance and was overwhelmed, although she is quite sprightly and manages fairly well “assistance” meant full wheelchair support throughout the airport, no half measures - she got used to it in the end!.

DD2 travels extensively with her wheelchair. Some airlines are better than others, some airports are better with assistance than others too. Sometimes there’s a long delay getting the ambulift, and she uses their transfer wheelchair until hers is available in the baggage hall. She’s paranoid about watching the chair loaded into the plane, as BA ‘forgot’ it on a flight to New York!
OP should advise the Hotel as they may be able to offer a bigger room/bathroom and should factor in taxi fares to and from the resort airport too. I note she’s taken out wheelchair insurance and will need special travel insurance too.
As for frisking, DD2 has been frisked many times - once so intimately that another Customs Officer asked if she wanted to make a complaint!
However, nothing puts her off, so go for it cookiemonster and I joy your holiday. I hope the first of many on wheels.

You say "we" but it sounds as though you will be travelling alone. If necessary be polite, but assertive. As everyone has said, provided they know you are coming and are informed exactly of your needs, you should find that all staff, on the ground and in the air, will be helpful.

We’ve asked for special assistance on last 2 hols - it worked very well. Ask before you go to the airport whether to head for a special desk pre check in or whether you head for the front of the queue. Make sure your companion traveller can stay with you too- book them a space too. One airline tried to separate us as I’d only mentioned husbands need. We’ve found other passengers have been very respectful and helpful. Assistants have helped get luggage each end to & transported us to taxis.

I have travelled many times with my mum and her wheelchair and never found a problem, in fact if anything its a lot easier with wheelchair assistance both in this country and the countries we landed in.

Mums wheelchair was never damaged and i would say that the whole experience was smooth running.

This year i find myself needing a wheelchair to get about and because of the past experiences with mums wheelchair, I haven't 1 ounce of worry.

Everything will be fine enjoy your holiday....

Ps I wasn’t frisked!

I travelled with easy jet from
Germany snd sil requested assistance as I couldn’t walk. I was met wheeled onto plane first met again in Gatwick driven to luggage and through passport control. I didn’t have a wheelchair but think this is very common and you will be well looked after. Enjoy your holiday.

I am sure you will find that you will get assistance. There is no point in worrying in advance.
I hope you enjoy your holiday.
When DM first used a wheelchair, she flew Stansted to Copenhagen regularly.
The only awful thing was being frisked. Apparently disabled people are often used as drugs mules.

Last time I travelled 4 years ago I booked special assistance from the airline (Swiss Airlines) which is a German owned airline. It was carried out with military precision and they met me at each juncture with a wheelchair. Airports have a special bay for assistance passengers so no queues. On arrival back at Manchester there was also a porter to retrieve my case for me. They took me right to the front of the taxi queue as well.

A fellow passenger asked why I was remaining on the plane until everyone else got off. I told him I had booked assistance because of my arthritis. He told me that his wife had arthritis but that she "would not like to make a fuss or be taken to the front of queues." I told him "I would not want to be married to someone with your outdated ideas."

Contact the Hotel and see if they have rooms for guests in wheelchairs.

Ive seen porters in Lanzarote airport taking passengers to the baggage claim and they’ve waited with them until their wheelchair arrived.
Just check that they will know (at Lanzarote) that you will need a wheelchair on landing and when you return to come home.

We have not taken a wheelchair abroad but I do ask for assistance at the airport for my husband who has difficulty standing for very long. He uses one of their wheelchairs whilst moving through the airport on either side of our trip. I have found the staff at Lanzarote airport to be particularly helpful. There were other people at the airport with their own wheelchair the last time we travelled a few weeks ago and the staff helped them with whatever was needed. Just ask when you are there. I really dont think you will have a problem. Enjoy your holiday .