Flying Tips with elderly -Airport Check in

Airport Check in

Flying, as I know all too well, is arduous and tedious

For an elderly person  its not just the cramped airline seats and security pat-downs.
(though the Beijing post has a funny story about security pat-downs)

 It all starts at the airport.

Navigating an airport can be disorienting for elderly travellers.
Reading the departure board with check in desk , finding the check in desk.

 

 Once you have found your check in gate there is the queue, long lines of people and baggage to manoeuvre.

What I do
 I get as far as the start  of the queue with my mother, then tell the person in front and more importantly the person behind me, that my mother is going to sit on the seat wayyyyyy over there watching me, ready to pounce when I am within three people of actually being served. I will also tell  any airline or Dnata rep that is milling around organising the lines.
Sometimes this has lead to us being rolled through to a different section for expedited check in but times others it hasn't.
I choose to do this not for the minute chance we will get speedy check in, or even that  she cannot stand for long period of time. I choose this as people with luggage trolley carts and big suitcase do NOT look where they are going.

I have had my little toe broken by a trolley, a trolley wheel slice my foot open, a suitcase badly bruise my foot and another rip  my trousers from someones "pretty luggage tags" and suitcase falling on to me.

 

If all this can happen to me I don't want to think about starting a holiday with mum injured.
She bruises easily and takes twice as long to heal, so its better to keep her out of harms way.
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