Special Needs

Flying with Your GoTo Seat

Posted by Firefly on 26th February 2014 Advice & Support, Special Needs, Campaigns, Disabilities, Travel Tips, Stories by Firefly

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Or so it should be.

But ask the parent of a child with a disability how easy it is, and you’ll get a stark reminder of the obstacles they face.

It’s impossible to take a wheelchair on an aeroplane. There’s not enough space to accommodate it, and even if there were, you couldn’t get it up and down the aisles. There’s no room for manoeuvre. Literally.

So the wheelchair gets dumped in the hold with the rest of the ‘luggage’. And mum or dad have to try and accommodate junior on their lap, or put them into a narrow, uncomfortable plane seat that’s barely accessible for an able-bodied person.

It’s often simply not an option. So holiday plans are abandoned before they’ve even been spoken aloud.

And situations like this are the reason our GoTo Seats exist, to make sure fewer people miss out, and to fly the flag for ‘special needs family participation’.

GoTo seats can help get around this dreaded plane problem.

Carry-on

No UK airlines stock the seats (yet), but they won’t stop you bringing your own GoTo on-board with you. The seat has been approved for use (except in the US, where FAA approval is pending) but let your airline know in advance that you’ll be bringing it. That will help make sure you don’t have any issues on the day.

Easy to use

No matter what size of GoTo seat you own, it will fit comfortably into an aeroplane seat. The smallest seat we’ve found on any airline is 400mm (approx. 16 inches) across, while the biggest GoTo seat, the size 2, has a seat width of only 280mm (approx.. 11 inches).

Sit back and enjoy

With your little one safe and supported in the GoTo seat, the whole family can relax and enjoy your trip. Parents using the GoTo have remarked that the seat is so comfortable that their child regularly drifts off for naps in it, so hopefully you find that bonus too.

You can find out how to get your GoTo seat here

Where will you go with your GoTo?