April 11 - Flying Solo

Yesterday I flew from Alberta to BC. Now, those of you who check this blog regularly will know that Lyle and I are fairly frequent air travellers, but yesterday was different.  I was flying solo. I haven’t flown by myself for quite a while and I was surprised at the small rush of nervous anticipation that I felt prior to the trip.

I am not anxious about the flying itself.  After all, an air passenger has little to do except sit in a seat and wait for the arrival of the plane at its destination.  No, flying does not bother me but yesterday’s trip involved two flights with a stopover and transfer in Calgary. It was Lyle who bolstered my confidence by telling me that it would be good for me.  Of course, he was right.  It is too easy for me to slip into the habit of dependence on his good nature and every so often I need to reassert my hold on an independent spirit and rise above the ordinary to new challenges.  I always feel energized and revitalized when I attempt this.  An even more positive note occurs when the result is one of achievement

So, after yesterday’s experience, what tips can I offer the blind or visually impaired passenger?  I have two tips. First, be prepared.  Secondly, don’t panic.

Being prepared means knowing where you are going and by this, I don’t mean just knowing your final destination.  Know your flight number and if you can’t remember that, at least remember your departure time.   If you can’t remember these consider taking along a small tape recorder with the appropriate details. I like to also know my seat number.

Always ask for assistance when you book your ticket.  When you are travelling, know what it is that you need from your guide.  While I am waiting in the airport terminal, I like to be seated near the women’s washroom.  Sometimes when I am guided between gates, I request a stop at a convenient washroom.  At other times, I might request a stop to buy a coffee or a sandwich.  If I am waiting at the gate, I like to be in full view of the airline staff at the desk so that they can see me.

Yesterday at the last minute I decided to pack a small lunch for myself. I was glad that I did. While I sat waiting for my connecting flight I could smell food cooking all around me. My previous guide had deposited me on a chair and left me until the next guide took over and that was going to be a wait of well over an hour.  I was glad I had my lunch with me.  Of course, I could have snagged a passerby with my white cane and asked for assistance, but I doubt that is a legitimate purpose for my cane.

Even when you think that you have everything under control there can always be the unexpected. This is where rule two comes in. Do not panic. We have all heard horror stories about flying.  A few years ago I read a news article about a young blind woman and her guide dog who were waiting to be assisted from the aircraft at the end of the flight. The flight crew disembarked and the woman was still waiting some time later when the cleaning crew came on board.  Not a good scenario!

My other favourite horror story concerns my friend Norma. She and her guide dog were led onto the wrong aircraft. This was in spite of showing her boarding pass at least three times before she was seated.  Apparently there were two blind female passengers travelling with guide dogs that day, but on different flights, and the ground crew had them mixed up.

There were no disasters on my flight from Alberta to BC. All in all it was a good experience.  As a final note, I would like to extend a further thank you to the kind gentleman who offered to fetch me a drink while I sat alone in Calgary.  He was about to leave for his own flight, but instead, brought me a large glass of cold water which I much appreciated.  Offering water to a stranger – it almost seemed Biblical!