@healingalice: If getting through an airport takes so much out of you that you're already struggling before your holiday has even begun, I really want you to know about this. ❤️‍🩹 With EDS, POTS, ME/CFS and spinal conditions, it's not just the flight I have to think about. It's the walking, standing, queues, bright lights, noise and everything else my body has to cope with along the way. Special assistance has made such a difference to how I travel. Here's what I wish I'd known sooner: ✈️ You don't have to be unable to walk to ask for help. If walking long distances or standing for long periods is difficult because of your condition, you can request assistance. ♿ You can use a wheelchair through the airport. This saves me so much energy and means I'm not having to walk long distances between check-in, security and the gate. You can even take your own for the trip too. 🛂 Help through passport control and baggage reclaim. Depending on the airport and arrangements, staff can assist you through these parts of the journey too. It can mean much less standing and queuing. 🚌 Getting to the aircraft can be a challenge in itself. Whether it's a long walk to the gate, a shuttle bus or stairs, assistance can be arranged to help you get to and board the aircraft. If walking along the aircraft to your seat is difficult, ask what help is available. 🤍 Getting off the plane is so much easier. I stay seated while the other passengers disembark, then get help off the aircraft. I'm not having to stand in the aisle waiting for everyone to get off. By the time I'm through to passport control and baggage reclaim, our bags are often nearly ready. 💺 Travelling with someone? Ask your airline about seating arrangements for you and your companion. Eligible disabled passengers are entitled to sit beside their companion without paying extra, depending on the circumstances and applicable rules. For me, this isn't about making a fuss or getting special treatment. It's about making travel possible without using every bit of energy I have just getting through the airport. I also wear my neck collar, use noise-cancelling headphones with instrumental worship music, and avoid the duty-free fragrance counters as much as possible. All those little things help me manage the sensory side of travelling, too. If you're flying soon, contact your airline to arrange assistance in advance and explain what you struggle with. You can also ask the airport about the support available at each stage of your journey. And if you're navigating complex chronic illness and feel like you're dealing with unexplained symptoms, I've created a free Chronic Illness Answers Starter Kit 📗 linked in my bio. It helps you organise what you already know about your health in one place, with useful trackers and prompting questions to help make doctor's appointments more productive and start putting the pieces together. You don't have to figure everything out at once. 🤍 Save this for your next flight, or send it to someone who needs to know about airport assistance. More chronic illness accessible travel tips coming soon around my trip to Bodrum. #ChronicIllness #EDS #POTS #AirportAssistance #AccessibleTravel accessible travel. special assistance airport wheelchair assistance accessible travel chronic illness. travel tips. invisible illness. chronic pain EDS pots MCAS mecfs CCI tethered cord hypermobility travel hacks travel tips. chronic illness support. chronic conditions. complex Health flight tips

Healing Alice 🌿

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Wednesday 14 October 2026 15:37:26 GMT