dreamer72fem
hmmm....
Well I have had my trip to Germany...I got back this past Sunday. I was sooo freaking nervous when my parents were taking me to Ohare because it was all so unknowing for me. I checked in and the guy asked if I needed help there..I said I think I am going to try and do it myself here to see how it is. But please have help at the other end. I asked where my gate was and he said through security and go right. Well he neglected to mention my gate was the end one...lol. I hang with my folks for a bit and say goodbye and head to security. I get in line and have to stand and wait...I got a bit panicked because I knew I needed to sit soon. I saw a nice lady who worked there and flagged her over and said ..I really need to sit. She got the barrier up and me through security check before I knew what was going on. So then I sat at one of the terminal sitting areas and got myself rested. Then I walked down a couple gates and would rest and so on until I made it to my gate. And just so happens the guy who checked me in at the front was now at this desk at my gate. I looked at him and said "I so should have taken the help." But he assured me I would have it at the other end. I was able to preboard before most of the passengers and was shown to my seat. It was a middle seat and I had asked for a window seat since it was my first flight ever I wanted to see out. The stewardesses were really nice and shuffled my up and at the window and there I stayed the whole flight. I stood up a few times and stretched, but was a bit freaked to look for bathrooms or anything like that. We had an excellent tail wind so we go into Munich about 50 minutes early. When we landed I waited until everyone had passed by and I got off and right outside the plane door was a man waiting for me with a chair. I have to say they didnt have larger wheelchairs there..but I squeezed in. And off we went. We went outside and transfered into a van and drove over near a door at the baggage claim and in we went. We come around the corner to the passport check area and no one is around. Everything was locked up...so he got on a phone and we waited. I talked a bit to a pilot guy who was waiting to get through the locked area also. (This was 5:45 am..so airport was pretty dead). This security guard came around the corner and unlocked and let the pilot through and took my passport and left a moment to find someone to stamp it and then through we went. The guy helping me grabbed my bags as I pointed them out and got a cart for those. And then out the door we went and I got out of chair and grabbed my luggage cart and thanked the man lots and lots and went to find a seat while I waited for Tilman. Since I was soo early his train hadnt got their yet.
On the trip back Tilman and I get to the airport and check in and I asked if Tilman could just be the person to wheel me around. And we went to the handicap desk and he got special clearance and was able to go through all the security with me and sit with me at my gate. So that was really nice. I also was booked in the middle area seat again on the way home and the plane was pretty full. They tried to get me something at the window, but they did get me the whole middle row alone. So I had 4 seats to myself...I could have laid down if I wanted to. I was the very first person on the plane going home. This guy came up and said my name...and he was here to take me on. So said the goodbyes to Tilman and the guy wheeled me off. Down some halls...into an elevator and then to the plane. We had to wait just a moment because they were just finishing getting the food loaded on. I got to get to my seat and get settled in with no one else around. I also liked the fact that I was in the very back section of the plane and at the back just a few rows behind me was a handicap bathroom that ROCKED. All the other bathrooms were downstairs...they had 5 down there. I was even scared to know how small and cramped that was, but the one at the back I could dance in if I wanted to. So I actually got up a couple times to use it on the way home. When I got off the plane in Chicago there was a nice young guy with a large wheelchair waiting for me. I had a nice time chatting with him while going to get my stuff. He was very nice and was a great first experience flying. As he was wheeling me out the door...my dad was walking in, so the timing was perfect.
The airline I was on was Luftahnsa...I give them 5 stars.
I know this was a long babble....I hope it made sense.
Stacey
On the trip back Tilman and I get to the airport and check in and I asked if Tilman could just be the person to wheel me around. And we went to the handicap desk and he got special clearance and was able to go through all the security with me and sit with me at my gate. So that was really nice. I also was booked in the middle area seat again on the way home and the plane was pretty full. They tried to get me something at the window, but they did get me the whole middle row alone. So I had 4 seats to myself...I could have laid down if I wanted to. I was the very first person on the plane going home. This guy came up and said my name...and he was here to take me on. So said the goodbyes to Tilman and the guy wheeled me off. Down some halls...into an elevator and then to the plane. We had to wait just a moment because they were just finishing getting the food loaded on. I got to get to my seat and get settled in with no one else around. I also liked the fact that I was in the very back section of the plane and at the back just a few rows behind me was a handicap bathroom that ROCKED. All the other bathrooms were downstairs...they had 5 down there. I was even scared to know how small and cramped that was, but the one at the back I could dance in if I wanted to. So I actually got up a couple times to use it on the way home. When I got off the plane in Chicago there was a nice young guy with a large wheelchair waiting for me. I had a nice time chatting with him while going to get my stuff. He was very nice and was a great first experience flying. As he was wheeling me out the door...my dad was walking in, so the timing was perfect.
The airline I was on was Luftahnsa...I give them 5 stars.
I know this was a long babble....I hope it made sense.
Stacey
