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Icelandair concern???

Posted by (NYC area) on

Hi all,

Since I had such a good response yesterday from ao many that have flown Icelandair, I'd like to ask another question.

I had posted my Icelandair question on the "Transportation" forum and got this as a response:

"I only thing I find a bit annoying at Keflavik (and this is SMALL complaint because the cheaper fare from IcelandAir means I'll put up with quite a bit), but sometimes the planes can't taxi up to the jetway and you have to deplane the old-fashioned way: by a flight of stairs rolled up to the plane's door, then walking across the tarmac to a bus. I don't know how they would handle such a situation with a passenger who had mobility difficulties, but fortunately that was not an issue on any flight I've been on."

What concerns me is my wife is handicapped. I would of course notify the airline in advance. Has the above happened to you?

Thanks in advance.

Paul

Posted by
2791 posts

They can get her down the stairs. They generally have special "chairs" they use or other methods. Just make sure you have it noted on her reservation and I would remind the Flight Attendant too.

Posted by
24 posts

That's hardly restricted the Icelandair. Alitalia does the same thing in Rome. As air travel increasing overwhelms existing airports, this is going to become a frequent occurrence.

Posted by
2859 posts

And Frankfurt. 5 of 10 flights in the last two years involved buses.

Posted by
2981 posts

During 11 trips to Europe landing at Munich, Frankfurt, Zurich, Paris and Copenhagen airports plus Toronto and Austin, LA, SF, and even Boise, Idaho, this has never happened to us. Would never even have thought they use stairways. Interesting.

Posted by
3941 posts

I remember in Naples and Rome having to take a bus to the terminal. I'm sure once leaving Venice we had to take a bus to the plane on the tarmac and walk up the stairs (I remember because they were loading people on from the front and back doors), and maybe my memory is shot, but I'm sure when we just did our flight from Nice to Gatwick we had to deplane on the tarmac and walk (not very far) to the terminal - I'm just remembering because my newly purchased lip balm flew out of my pocket when we were walking into the terminal and my husband run back to pick it up for me...and we've only flown 7 times within Europe - so that's 4 of 7 for having to use the stairs on the plane instead of a jetway! (Is that the correct term?)

Mind you, those are all smaller planes, and I don't recall ever having to use the stairs on our overseas flights (there and back) with the bigger planes.

Posted by
635 posts

We used the stairs to deplane from a United B-777 at Fiumicino in May, and boarded a shuttle bus to T5. The terminal fire a few weeks earlier may have had something to do with it.

Posted by
11613 posts

And Delta at JFK. It can happen anywhere, usually due to scheduling issues.

Posted by
980 posts

Stairs are pretty common if you fly enough and it is no an issue for handicap access. Usually I've seen the motorized chair that rides up and down the stairs. Just let the airline know and they will accommodate you.

DJ

Posted by
33858 posts

In all my Easyjet flights I been on a jetway once.

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