Tips for Travelling by Air with Your Mobility Scooter

Useful information you should know before planning your flight

In the past, most people who rely on a mobility scooter viewed travelling by air as a daunting task, to say the least. Large international airports require walking great distances, airlines could ask you to check your scooter with baggage, and the fear of extra support expenses could be a powerful deterrent. But over recent years, technology has stepped up to transform the mobility scooter so that taking a flight is no longer such a challenging issue.

Scooters today are faster, less cumbersome and more adaptable than ever before. The ATTO line of mobility scooters are even designed to separate into two parts to help you achieve your most ambitious travel goals safely and conveniently. That said, there are a few important things you should keep in mind before you make your travel plans.

Here are some of the winning guidelines we’ve compiled from our hands-on experience with world travel over the years. Make sure you read through them and implement them as you make your plans for take-off.

1. Make sure you are travelling with an approved lithium battery. Non-spill, lithium batteries are one of the great developments in the field of mobility scooters over recent years. Today, the vast majority of electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are powered by a lithium battery that has been designed for approval by most airlines. Find a mobility scooter with easy removal and replacement of the battery, so that you don’t have to spend time going through an awkward process every time you go through a checkpoint. It’s also a good idea to call the airline ahead to make sure they are one of the lithium battery approvers, and let them know you will be traveling with them so they can offer support.

2. Did you know that there are scooters are out there that don’t require baggage check?Being equipped to travel across the airport on your scooter only to find out you have to check it with your baggage and be wheeled (at extra cost and time) onto the airplane, is extremely frustrating. Today, you can choose the ATTO scooter that allows you to drive it all the way onto the plane, easily fold it and disassemble it into two parts which can then be stored it in the overhead compartment - like a trolley suitcase. You no longer have to be the last to board and leave the plane just because you have a scooter!

3. Make sure your scooter is well protected. Folding mobility scooters are a high-priced item. As such, they must be protected from any damage that might occur on a trip of this kind. Buy a durable cover for your scooter and be sure to photograph your undamaged vehicle before the trip just, for the record.

4. Get your scooter accessories ready. Often people with limited mobility need to use crutches, canes and other medical equipment with them at all times. This can get awkward when you have extra luggage, a spare battery and travel papers to carry and access recurrently. Today's’ scooters can be fitted with original designed accessories for holding and storing canes, bags and more, and which attach easily to the scooter to make travel more convenient.

Although overseas travel is often associated with long distance walking, and technical obstacles and/ or extra expenses, you really should learn more about the great innovations that are increasingly available for you. For anyone with second thoughts about bringing a less-mobile loved one along on a trip, or for anyone who has been avoiding travel, using the right kind of mobility scooter and high-quality accessories will transform any type of travel from a daunting challenge into a memorable adventure.

Send us some photos and any tips you gather from your next trip - we'd love to share them with our community!