87 year old MIL is flying down to her son’s in London from Glasgow at Christmas. She is perfectly mobile and savvy.
However we are slightly concerned about once she passes through the barriers then she is on her own to find the right gate etc etc.
Does anyone know if there is a way of escorting someone through and waiting with them till gate closed? A family member suggested buying the cheapest flight I could find at same time and then just not get on plane but not sure how I would get back out.
In know you can get mobility assistance with wheelchairs etc but she is perfectly mobile and would prob want to wander the shops.
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There seems to be something called a 'gate pass', a little bit like a platform ticket on the railway.
A google of the term suggests they can be issued by the airline.
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Best thing to do is book special assistance for her from airline/airport. That applies at both ends.
Last edited by: Zero on Mon 10 Nov 25 at 14:10
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Will call easyJet and ask them. As long as there is a way to avoid the wheelchair type approach cos she won’t accept that I don’t think.
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There used to be a paid lounge at GLA, along with the BA one. If you use the special assistance and have lounge access they’ll take you through security to the lounge, and leave you there until it’s time to collect you to board. During that time your mother would be free to roam around the airport to her hearts content and as long as she makes it back to the lounge then the assistance people will collect her and take her to the gate. IME they’ll turn up with a wheelchair anyway, but I don’t suppose they’d mind a walk.
Glasgow is not a large airport, but she might be grateful for the assistance on arrival at London (assuming LGW or LHR) as both can involve a very long walk from a domestic arrivals to the actual arrivals part of the airport.
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>> Best thing to do is book special assistance for her from airline/airport. That applies at
>> both ends.
The difficulty with that is some poor fellow being dragged around the shops.
Another option if she has a mobile phone is to check the gate number and use the phone to ensure she's there in time.
Never done it with air travel but mobile phones and on line live departures allowed my daughter to travel to/from friends an hour or two away before we might otherwise have been OK with it.
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Indeed. Whilst it might not cope with following her round the "duty free" whilst buying Buckie, it should get her from arrival point (or airline customer service desk) to the gate.
www.glasgowairport.com/special-assistance/requesting-assistance/
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>> A family member suggested buying the cheapest flight I could find
>> at same time and then just not get on plane but not sure how I
>> would get back out.
I guess if you miss your flight by being at the wrong gate there must be a way out with staff help.
If the faffing around chasing a missing passenger delays the flight you never meant to be on and slots are missed you'll be responsible for a lot of angry people!!
No checked hold baggage so at least the ground handlers are saved the problem off offloading that!
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Airport assistance - Bromptonaut
