Minneapolis to LA with MS

In the last 2 years we have flown several round trip Mpls-LA-Mpls, on Delta and Sun Country. Both airlines have been respectful and helpful with my wife’s MS mobility needs. I make sure the reservations include the need for a wheelchair from curb to plane and back, and an aisle chair to board and deplane, and although we sometimes need to wait, they always show up. (I gate check her walker because it was broken once when I baggage checked it — although Delta paid immediately for the damage.)

DELTA: After several years of doing this, I have learned that DELTA has a “Seat Control” department. Only a Reservations Supervisor can contact them. They can release the hold on a bulkhead seat or a seat near a bathroom, for mobility and other needs, and they have always accommodated our situation. (Nancy has balance issues, impaired vision, and a very weak right side — and bladder incontinence.) We used to get bulkhead seats in the first row of Economy, so that she could have clear space to stand vertically before stumbling out of the seat row — and I walked her to the first class lavatory. There are now 2 issues on Delta:
1) They have eliminated bulkhead rows on the routes we take — they now are exit rows, which we cannot use. So we end up in row “28”, two rows ahead of the mid-plane lavatory (because row “29” doesn’t recline).
2) The lavatories are getting smaller. It is VERY difficult for both of us to get into the lav and for me to help her get onto and off of the toilet. And she uses a catheter.

SUN COUNTRY: Just as crowded as DELTA, but somehow not as “comfortable” (as if DELTA was comfortable). They were also very helpful with seat assignments (thru the reservation agent) and the gate crews are very helpful.

Wheelchair pushers for both airlines have been very efficient, getting us to the front of the TSA lines and to the gates. (Interesting that on the last flight to LA, TSA spent more time checking the airline’s chair for contraband than they did checking Nancy.)

Travel used to be an adventure and almost fun. Not any more. Planes are more jammed, waiting times are longer, lavatories are minuscule, and fares are indecipherable and constantly changing. But the cabin crew and gate crews seem to still try to make it pleasant.