Assistance at Heathrow Airport

[cemeterybird]

I am travelling to New York from Heathrow T4 with my elderly mother (86 years old) over Easter and although I requested assistance when booking the flights with Continental, I cannot seem to get exact information as to what we do when we get off the coach. Although not wheelchair bound, she cannot walk the great distances entailled with getting through Heathrow. Is it the airline or the airport that is responsible for helping us through the process? Once we get off the coach with our two suitcases and hand luggage, where do we go from there? Even if there are wheelchairs available on arrival, I won't be able to push Mum and manage all our luggage by myself. Has anyone ever experienced these procedures who can give me any advice please?

[237SJ]

You say you`ve requested assistance. Have you asked for a wheelchair? Request a wheelchair and they should take her all the way from check in to the aircraft. She`ll only have to get from the coach to the check-in area. It`s the airline`s responsibility to provide the wheelchair (not the airport).

[237SJ]

By the way, it`s not you that pushes the wheelchair, there`s someone to do that. If you are on their passenger list as having a wheelchair, there`ll be one at the other end as well

[Prudie]

I did it with my elderly mother at Gatwick. This was for the man with the buggy that drives them around. If I recall there was a dedicated phone at the main door and you waited there. He took her through check-in and to departures (although she actually walked out to the plane herself).

[boxtops]

No experience of Heathrow, but like Prudie I took my disabled mum through Gatwick. We contacted someone via the Information desk as soon as we got to Departures before checking in, they arranged for a man with a wheelchair to take her through passport control and customs, then the little buggy took us down to the gate. Same thing the other end, we were met from the plane.

[bednobs]

i think that th poster is asking how to get from the coach park to departures

[cemeterybird]

Thanks for your help. Yes, it's getting from the coach to the check in desks I was worried about because that in itself can be a real trek. I'm sure once I got to those desks that Continental would take over and get us through passport control, security and to the gates. I couldn't envisage them having a 'man' hovering around the coach drop off area.
My mum can walk a short way but if involves up a lot of those ramps they have in some airports, she'd never make it.

[bednobs]

the coach drop offs are usually close to departures, Waht about getting her one of those sticks that turn into a seat so she can rest if it's longer than she thinks. I have alwats made my own way and got assisstance at check in but i do recall it being quite a way from the car pARK however i dont know where the coach drops off - perhaps you could contavt the coach co?

[boxtops]

Cemeterybird, does this link help, it gives you a number to ring at Heathrow? http://www.heathrowin...ies-disabled.php#help

[cemeterybird]

Yes it does, thanks Boxtops and thanks to all for your reassurance. I feel a little more secure now that help won't be far away once we get into the terminal building.