Wheelchair or not?

[gran42]

I am transiting in LAX - ( BNE -LAX-MCO) all on one VA ticket, arriving LAX (TB) 0730. The flight from LAX-MCO is on a Delta aircraft departing T5 0930.

VA say this is an 'OK' transit time, but I am wondering if I should use a wheelchair or would it be quicker to walk.

I would normally walk for the exercise, but with this short connection time, wonder if using a wheelchair would be quicker. I have had a hip replacement recently and am still a bit slow.

Any ideas?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I would definitely book a WCHR as 2 hours is the minimum recommended connecting time & it's amazing how quickly that time will go. You may feel a bit stiff as well after the long flight so you don't want that adding to the stress of making your onward connection when don't yet have 100% mobility.

All well and good for reservations people to say it's 'fine' - it is in the sense that the connection is legal, but making your connection still relies on your inbound flight running on time, whether or not several 747's have landed just before you etc etc.

Ask VA if they can allocate you an aisle seat towards the front of economy if possible. I'd let the VA CSM know that you have a short connection time & if you could disembark asap as you don't want to have to wait until everyone else is off the plane just because you have a WCHR request.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

while wheelchairs will get you some priority in the immigration process (separate channel) that is unfortunately still no guarantee you will make your scheduled onward connection.

a couple months ago when US govt services (including immigration) were in the go slow due to budget cuts there were 27 wheelchairs meeting our flight. they joined another 10 or so from the previous flight already in queue. a lot of people missed their connections but all in the one ticket you are out in the next available anyway.

certainly for the potential length of time waiting and walking, I would request a chair.

 

[Baysider]

My late wife requested wheelchairs for a 2 hour connection at Heathrow and missed the connection because the "helpers" pushing the wheelchair (a) got lost between terminals and (b) had their specific boundaries at which they abandoned her and she had to wait for a new "helper" that belonged to that part of the airport to turn up. In my opinion if you can walk and get on the free terminal shuttle buses that is a safer option.