Aisle Chair Blues

I have been a T-10 paraplegic for ten years. In those ten years, I have traveled by air five times. Every time I got on and off the aircraft, the aisle chairs in use were broken or missing a buckle three times. Personnel are usually familiar with the use of the aisle chair most of the time, although there were a couple of times that they weren’t.

My biggest complaint is that the chairs are designed to fit the aisle, but people aren’t. I am a large man, my hips are wider than the aisle between the seats. Once we get through first class, the sole narrows, and my hips don’t fit. That means I must be lifted over the first row’s arm rests to get to my seat. (Where the armrest raises). Very unsafe for all of us.

This problem could be alleviated by requiring the airlines to have FUNCTIONING aisle chairs IN GOOD REPAIR that pump up to raise the passenger up above the armrests. The aisles were designed for knees not hips. Easy fix.