Poor DD has dislocated her knee (again!) and we are flying in 10 days

[BlackAmericanoNoSugar]

She will still be on crutches then, do we need to inform the airline? She can walk and doesn't need a wheelchair or any assistance but she will be travelling with crutches which are bulky. Will she be allowed to have them with her at her seat (I've booked window and middle, so she could prop them up against the window side and not have them in anyone's way)?

I’d call the special assistance number for the airline and ask all these questions. I think she can have her crutches with her but you need to book this. Sorry to hear this, how did she do it? My son is hyper mobile and has knee that likes to pop :(

poor thing.

I’d check with the airline, and make sure you’ve informed your insurance too.

are you flying from a small regional airport or a massive one? How speedy is she on the crutches? Special assistance might be a good idea to save rushing.

If you don't need assistance then it's fine not to call but they can do other things for you like allow preboarding to give her extra time so it might still be worth ringing anyway.

My sister broke her foot two weeks before we had to fly - we contacted the airline and they let her board first, helped her put her crutches away into the overhead locker, and then had a wheelchair waiting at the other end because she wouldn’t have been able to make the stairs in the arrivals airport. She will have to stow her crutches during the flight, they won’t let her have them loose. Although worth checking what this means in terms of your travel insurance in terms of declaring a pre-existing injury. Poor thing, sounds painful!

I’d book special assistance - a wheel chair or at least the golf buggy. You walk a very long way in the airport which will be tiring and she will also be slow.
She will be able to board first when they ask for those needing special assistance.

Book Special Assistance, it will make the entire journey so much easier.

It’ll be fine but the crutches will most definitely need to go in the lockers not be propped up against the window

I fly with crutches and never had a problem, if you call the airline you can get priority boarding with her too so shes not jostled about

https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/before-you-fly/am-i-fit-to-fly/

You will need a doctors note saying she can fly. I broke my toe on holiday last year and the airline nearly didn’t let me fly as I didn’t have a doctors note!

My son sprained his ankle last year so he was on crutches. We flew by EasyJet. Didn't inform them just turn up, didn't have any issues. The crutches didn't count towards baggage allowance. I don't think an airline can refuse, this would amount to disability discrimination in my opinion

She definitely wouldn't agree with assistance. I'll be lucky if I get her to agree to use crutches, she hates to feel that she stands out.

This is her third time dislocating her knee while playing football. The previous two times were when she was being tackled but this time she got hit on the side of the knee with the ball. The second dislocation was followed up with a consultant visit and scan which showed that she has small patellas (sp?) and so is a bit more vulnerable to dislocation than usual. She has had physio after the last two, and she can go back to the physio again once she has recovered a bit.

It's a shame for her, she's pretty good at football and was hoping to get a scholarship to university in a couple of years (we can pay the fees so it doesn't matter if she doesn't, she just wanted to do it and be on the team). Every dislocation brings her a bit closer to not being able to play football anymore. Plus she looses her nerve a bit for the first few weeks back playing.

Definitely book her assistance. It also will help with immigration, she can be whizzed through.

DH's colleague sometimes requires it and while he was mortified the first time, he soon realised that things do get faster.

How long is the flight? Can she keep her knee bent at the right angle for long enough! I’ve dislocated my knee twice now due to a weakness and each time it was several weeks before I could sit comfortably with it bent for any length of time.

It’s only a three hour flight, we’re going to a family wedding in Spain. I guess if she can’t bend her leg for long enough when the time comes then she and DH can stay home and DS and I can go by ourselves.