Flying alone, long haul, with arm in a sling

[Travelissue]

Does anyone have any tips for getting through airport security and a long haul flight with arm in a sling following surgery? DD is travelling from Charles de Gaulle to Bangkok on her own and needs advice about how best to manage. As far as I can see the only option is to ask for mobility assistance. She can walk, but carrying bags, taking shoes off, lifting bags, getting through security is going to be difficult.
TIA

Yes, ask for assistance. She can specify the type/limit of assistance she needs. Better to do this and be upfront than risk insurance niggles etc for her and the airline/airport. Airlines deal with this all the time and ime are well organised and resourced for it. She might even end up one of those buggies with the flashing lights lol! (Easier than having staff carrying luggage.)

Yes, airport assistance, ask (or she can ask) asap. When there were long queues after lockdown and I didn't want my elderly mother to potentially have to stand for hours, we arranged for assistance and it was brilliant, so helpful and reassuring.

Yup, pre-book assistance.

I would also suggest taking a straw bottle that she can refill in the airport so that she can drink on the plane easily, and wearing something easy to go to the loo in when actually on the plane.

How restricted will her mobility be? Will she be able to do her own seatbelt up? I’m not sure in cabin crew are allowed to help with those - worth checking in advance maybe?

Thank you all. I hadn't thought of the seatbelt. She is just about able to hold a cup and gradually improving. It is the luggage that is really worrying me, I don't want her to do any damage.

She might get upgraded depending on the type of plane

She needs to ask well in advance for assistance and not just wait till she rocks up to the airport on the day

She needs to contact the airline and the airport

I have done this myself with an arm in a sling, asked for assistance from the airline which was all arranged and such a help. But obviously she still has to get to the airport and get luggage into the terminal, then the assistance will start. Assume Air France? Must admit my airline who I use a lot, once on board, the stewards were not that helpful at all with putting luggage away or during meal service, passing me a tray of food which I could not grasp never-mind put on my tray table, and this was in business. Thankfully other passengers were very helpful even though I did not ask for any help they could see I was struggling.

She needs to really keep that arm up as it may swell (dont know if she has a cast on). At the other end, Bangkok again she should arrange help but they will only do so much. So a porter at Bangkok could help get into transport and put luggage in as assistance will not go that far (well not in my experience).

Dont hold out much hope for an upgrade, but I would say to try and get a window seat in which her bad arm can rest against then no one can knock it IYKWIM.

It is Thai Airways, but flying direct from Paris.

You should expect really good assistance from Thai Airways, and at the other end in Bangkok. There are always lots of porters and buggies to help.

If she has a cast, I think it needs to be cut because your arms swells during a flight

Yes, the Thai staff here are wonderful. It is the Paris bit that is worrying. We will meet her in Bangkok and the airside staff are usually really nice.

She doesn't have a cast, just a bandage and sling.

I want to get my ailing MIL over here (I live in Thailand), it's not this side we are worried about, it's getting through Heathrow we just don't hold out much hope for. I hope it works out for you.

Make sure she leaves loads of time to get through the airport and makes things easy for herself eg slip on shoes, pack minimal hand luggage so nothing she needs to put in the overhead.

I would say "don't worry, the people around her will help" but when I flew out of Heathrow alone with a baby and toddler nobody even offered me a smile!! For what it's worth if I saw a solo traveller in a sling I'd offer to help with their bags as much as I could.

Yes, it is the French side that concerns me. I will feed back on this thread. She is flying next week. She speaks French and Thai so hopefully that will help.

We have decided she should book the wheelchair assistance rather than risk damaging her hand. It seems it is that or no assistance at all and getting through security will be challenging without help. I hope it will go smoothly.

Book assistance.

When the plane lands tell her not to get off, they get all the mobile passengers off and then come on with a wheelchair or the thing they use to bump you down stairs.

They should then take her to baggage pick up and then through passport control.

I've not done this is Thailand but in several other countries and it is always the same.

Sometimes it is a wheelchair others it is an electric buggy and can be with a few others.

She won't be allowed to sit in an exit row because they want people who can open doors in those seats.

they should bring her right to you.