SDQ departure....is this a record?

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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I flew to New York last Thursday on Jet Blue for business meetings.

I saw something that in over 40 years of air travel that I have never seen before anywhere. Ten per cent of the passengers flying that day required wheelchair assistance at SDQ and again at JFK......yep 18 passengers in wheel chairs all lined getting preferencial service. Quite a sight and I should have snapped it but out of respect for genuine disabled passengers though best not.

At both departure and arrival there were extended delays to access and egress the aircraft and there was a shortage of ground staff to deal with this number.

What did irk was that some of the disabled passengers had reason to vacate their wheelchairs during the wait to board.

I think wheelchair use at SDQ is grossly abused....and perhaps at other DR airports too. Are you charged for the service...or should you be...it all goes to the airport service charge charged to carriers otherwise.

To make the departure more eventful two other incidents occurred. A Dominican stowed his duty free in the overhead bin but it fell out prior to take off and cut a passengers head and that person had to be hospitalized delaying departure (BA and Iberia do not permit storage of bottles in overhead bins for this reason). And then on opening the cargo hold door on the arriving Condor fight, a dog jumped out and had to be chased around the airport.

All in a few hours at SDQ......
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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Free wheelchairs, I think.

My wheelchair man took a stroll of about 75 yds to get coffee for his wife and self.
Only disability was lard, from what I could see.

Very much abused....
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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I use a wheelchair in airports, but it is necessary since my damaged leg makes it difficult for me to walk any sort of distance. In my case, the damage is visible, so most people don't question it.

You are right, however, that it is abused on flights to/from the DR. Once I was forced to walk the jetbridge because the gate agent assumed that I was faking and said that there was no wheelchair service available. That is the result of the abuse.
 
Jan 9, 2004
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I flew to New York last Thursday on Jet Blue for business meetings.

I saw something that in over 40 years of air travel that I have never seen before anywhere. Ten per cent of the passengers flying that day required wheelchair assistance at SDQ and again at JFK......yep 18 passengers in wheel chairs all lined getting preferencial service. Quite a sight and I should have snapped it but out of respect for genuine disabled passengers though best not.

At both departure and arrival there were extended delays to access and egress the aircraft and there was a shortage of ground staff to deal with this number.

What did irk was that some of the disabled passengers had reason to vacate their wheelchairs during the wait to board.

I think wheelchair use at SDQ is grossly abused....and perhaps at other DR airports too. Are you charged for the service...or should you be...it all goes to the airport service charge charged to carriers otherwise.

To make the departure more eventful two other incidents occurred. A Dominican stowed his duty free in the overhead bin but it fell out prior to take off and cut a passengers head and that person had to be hospitalized delaying departure (BA and Iberia do not permit storage of bottles in overhead bins for this reason). And then on opening the cargo hold door on the arriving Condor fight, a dog jumped out and had to be chased around the airport.

All in a few hours at SDQ......

....Just 18?

I have counted at least 20-23 on several trips.

The record, amongst a group of us that fly out of SDQ or STI is 26.

There are reasons, beyond disability, why there are so many wheelchairs.....as told to me by a flight attendant who regularly works the SDQ and STI flights back and forth.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 

ju10prd

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Nov 19, 2014
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....Just 18?

I have counted at least 20-23 on several trips.

The record, amongst a group of us that fly out of SDQ or STI is 26.

There are reasons, beyond disability, why there are so many wheelchairs.....as told to me by a flight attendant who regularly works the SDQ and STI flights back and forth.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2

Unbelievable numbers.

I don't fly that often to the US but more frequently to the islands and Europe and I have never seen such numbers out of SDQ. A half dozen at the very most.

Perhaps you can share with us the reasons........
 

DRob

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Aug 15, 2007
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....Just 18?

I have counted at least 20-23 on several trips.

The record, amongst a group of us that fly out of SDQ or STI is 26.

There are reasons, beyond disability, why there are so many wheelchairs.....as told to me by a flight attendant who regularly works the SDQ and STI flights back and forth.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2


Do tell, por favor....
 
Jan 9, 2004
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First, a little background.

The airlines, after the financial crisis, cut back on the numbers of flights going to/from the DR to US. So flights these days tend to be full or near full.

Next, they realized that if they cut the bag weight from 70 pounds to 50 pounds they could save fuel....and thus money.

Then they realized they could start charging bag fees (varies by airline), but on Jetblue, the first checked bag is free to/from the DR.

These airline instituted changes caused much consternation to Dominicans who were allowed two 70 pound bags and for those who regularly fly the route, we know that often times there was not even enough space on the aircraft and bags got delayed and sent on a later flight, etc. But I digress.

With a fee for the second bag and a weight restriction.....more and more Dominicans began bringing more and more carry-ons. This caused flight delays, and still does, because when the overhead bins are full, the airlines take off the carry-ons (many oversized to begin with) and check them for free....thus avoiding a baggage fee.

By now you are likely still wondering what this has to do with wheelchairs.....so.....

Wheelchair passengers are allowed to board ahead of all other passengers....along with their luggage....thus giving them first access to the overheads. So no need to worry about having to have luggage taken off the plane and checked.....it gets better.

Those wheel chair people usually have several people traveling with them......who are also allowed to board early and put their carry-ons in the overhead bins.

So when all the other passengers try to board, the overhead storage has been reduced significantly.....leading to carry-ons becoming checked luggage without paying a bag fee.

Now you might be thinking, so what....they were carry-ons and the airline has a carry-on allowance....they should allow them to check for free......but.....and here is the other ruse. They avoid bringing obviously oversized bags to the counter when they check in.....and after check-in grab the over sized bag from the Tio/Tia or whomever brought them to the airport.....so with boarding pass in hand they wheel their oversized luggage to the gate.

Often times the gate agent will catch it and tag it as checked baggage....thus avoiding the fee. However, even with that due diligence, the overhead bins are always full, luggage always seems to have to be brought off the plane.....and with that the flight is almost always delayed.

Having a wheel chair bound passenger has now become a work around to getting early/guaranteed access to overhead storage as well as avoiding fees for the wheel chair bound passenger and the family traveling with them.

On a side note, and told to me by the flight attendant, 20 wheelchairs needed by passengers headed to the DR is usually not the same number needed upon arrival.

Interesting that the airlines are aware of the abuses....but have not figured out how to stop them.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
Last edited:

Hector L

New member
Jun 11, 2010
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Another abuse....my last flight had several wheelchairs as always but one
wheelchair bound passenger was accompanied by 8 family members and all were permitted to board with her. I believe that a passenger who truly needs a wheelchair probably also needs a boarding companion to help assist. I think that should be limited to 1 family member not 8.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
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I have traveled with my predecessor / colleague and his wife, both in their sixties reaching 70 but able to walk, both in wheel chair. When arriving in Miami I told them I didn't want to spend USD50 in a cab if I could get to close to the office taking the train, so they joined me, with their heavy suitcases in the train, getting of the train and of the elevated train station on dadeland south (not working elevator or escalator, walking to or hotel at 15 minutes walking, again with their heavy suitcases, and my colleagues wife going to dadeland mall everyday while we were in meetings in the office.
 

JayinRD

Member
Apr 18, 2013
411
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Morbid Obesity crisis combined with Pampered entitled US Social Security Disability fraud artists for lumbago, "buiging discs" and piles might explain 50-99% of it.
 

LTSteve

Gold
Jul 9, 2010
5,449
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First, a little background.

The airlines, after the financial crisis, cut back on the numbers of flights going to/from the DR to US. So flights these days tend to be full or near full.

Next, they realized that if they cut the bag weight from 70 pounds to 50 pounds they could save fuel....and thus money.

Then they realized they could start charging bag fees (varies by airline), but on Jetblue, the first checked bag is free to/from the DR.

These airline instituted changes caused much consternation to Dominicans who were allowed two 70 pound bags and for those who regularly fly the route, we know that often times there was not even enough space on the aircraft and bags got delayed and sent on a later flight, etc. But I digress.

With a fee for the second bag and a weight restriction.....more and more Dominicans began bringing more and more carry-ons. This caused flight delays, and still does, because when the overhead bins are full, the airlines take off the carry-ons (many oversized to begin with) and check them for free....thus avoiding a baggage fee.

By now you are likely still wondering what this has to do with wheelchairs.....so.....

Wheelchair passengers are allowed to board ahead of all other passengers....along with their luggage....thus giving them first access to the overheads. So no need to worry about having to have luggage taken off the plane and checked.....it gets better.

Those wheel chair people usually have several people traveling with them......who are also allowed to board early and put their carry-ons in the overhead bins.

So when all the other passengers try to board, the overhead storage has been reduced significantly.....leading to carry-ons becoming checked luggage without paying a bag fee.

Now you might be thinking, so what....they were carry-ons and the airline has a carry-on allowance....they should allow them to check for free......but.....and here is the other ruse. They avoid bringing obviously oversized bags to the counter when they check in.....and after check-in grab the over sized bag from the Tio/Tia or whomever brought them to the airport.....so with boarding pass in hand they wheel their oversized luggage to the gate.

Often times the gate agent will catch it and tag it as checked baggage....thus avoiding the fee. However, even with that due diligence, the overhead bins are always full, luggage always seems to have to be brought off the plane.....and with that the flight is almost always delayed.

Having a wheel chair bound passenger has now become a work around to getting early/guaranteed access to overhead storage as well as avoiding fees for the wheel chair bound passenger and the family traveling with them.

On a side note, and told to me by the flight attendant, 20 wheelchairs needed by passengers headed to the DR is usually not the same number needed upon arrival.

Interesting that the airlines are aware of the abuses....but have not figured out how to stop them.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2


Jet Blue now charges for the first bag. You are right though, many Dominicans either are not familiar with or just ignore luggage policies. When I was leaving out of El Catey Jet Blue
personnel were at the beginning of the line to check in and turning people away that had too many carry ons.
 

rice&beans

Silver
May 16, 2010
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Shocking! Lol..
(Love the lol....makes me feel young)

The Dominican mindset........

Yup.....

I said it......
 
Jan 9, 2004
10,897
2,224
113
Jet Blue now charges for the first bag. You are right though, many Dominicans either are not familiar with or just ignore luggage policies. When I was leaving out of El Catey Jet Blue
personnel were at the beginning of the line to check in and turning people away that had too many carry ons.

First bag on Jetblue is still free with basic fares to/from the DR and a few other destinations.

http://www.jetblue.com/travel/baggage/


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
Jan 9, 2004
10,897
2,224
113
Santo Domingo and Santiago, Dominican Republic It seems only from SDQ and Santiago.

Yes, I should have clarified that further.

SDQ/STI were done that way by Jetblue so as to not anger the aviation gods in the government.

Far more Dominicans use those two airports than tourists.


Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
 
I use a wheelchair in airports, but it is necessary since my damaged leg makes it difficult for me to walk any sort of distance. In my case, the damage is visible, so most people don't question it.

You are right, however, that it is abused on flights to/from the DR. Once I was forced to walk the jetbridge because the gate agent assumed that I was faking and said that there was no wheelchair service available. That is the result of the abuse.

Same here. I'd rather be able to walk correctly the rest of my life, then have to use this service. Shyte happens, roll with it...

I work @ EWR - U should see Air India flights - massive amounts of wheelchairs.
 

suarezn

Gold
Feb 3, 2002
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Another reason is due to older people (although not disabled) are put up with wheelchairs by their relatives or whomever bought the ticket. Reason is because it is just much easier for them to be taken to where they need to go instead of trying to figure it out themselves, as often time they don't speak any English. I have done it with my Mom.
 

equinn2823

New member
Sep 30, 2013
126
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the number of people abusing this system is out of control. im flying sdq to jfk jet blue on tuesday the 26th. ill count how many