My elderly parents and I are traveling overseas soon. Does anyone know if I can go through the TSA "fast track line" with them? Also, I am worried that when we arrive in the other country, they will have to stand in the long customs line. Can I get assistance for them overseas?
Sea-Tac airport, for example, offers a variety of accessibility options. When I took my 89-year-old mom to her flight from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale back in April, I did two things:
- I made a TSA appointment -- basically, you say when you want to go through security and book a time in advance (depending on availability). As a result you can move pretty quickly through the standard line.
- I booked a "Visitor Pass" through the airport itself. I don't know how common these are. But Sea-Tac offers a few dozen passes a day, in advance. You still clear security and everything, but there's no cramped flight on the other side. Just overpriced food. :)
I also looked into getting her a wheelchair by arranging directly with the airline, but with the visitor pass and the TSA appointment (and plenty of time to get to our gate) in the end I didn't need one.
I'd check with your airline, and your airports, and the TSA for their accessibility / assistance options. I was pleasantly surprised. Best of luck to all of you and bon voyage!
If you plan to travel often with them, check with their credit card company. Many will reimburse most or all of the cost of Global Entry, which includes TSA Pre-check for domestic air travel. Good luck and be safe.
Request wheelchair assistance for both of them.
They will be brought to the gate getting through any lines much faster.
AND since they will be in a wheelchair, sometimes a cart like a golf cart is used there will be less risk of a fall pushing through crowds.
https://www.lufthansa.com/us/en/advice-for-travellers-with-special-needs-to-and-from-the-usa
I expect every airline has protocols. So might be worth a call to the airline. Maybe they have assistance to facilitate customs lines.
Btw, the elders might want to travel with compression socks.
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