Segway and airline travel with Lufthansa

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I wanted to share with the Segway community my recent experience with transporting my wife's Segway internationally. My wife has multiple sclerosis and uses an i180 Segway with NiMh (dry cell) as a mobility aid.

We flew in July 2007 from Geneva to Montreal via Munich on Lufthansa. Prior arrangements were made with Lufthansa to ship the Segway as a mobility device. At the time the booking was made, Lufthansa did not have any special handling instructions for Segways. I mentioned to them that they should use the same handling instructions as for motorized wheelchairs. I was asked to confirm that the Segway was equipped with dry cell (NiMh) and not wet cell (LiOn) batteries. I also informed Lufthansa that my wife would gate check her Segway so that she could use it inside the terminal.

(1) Geneva airport
My wife was escorted on her Segway to a special check-in facility that is normally reserved for cabin crew. She was then taken with her Segway by a specially equipped bus directly to the airplane. Passengers on the Geneva-Munich flight embark and disembark directly from the apron. Her Segway was then loaded by the baggage handlers directly into the cargo compartment.

(2) Munich airport
The Segway was unloaded from the airplane on to the apron. There is a bus transfer from the airplane to the airport terminal. My wife used the Segway throughout the terminal right up to check-in. The Segway was taken at the gate for loading into the cargo compartment for the flight from Munich to Montreal.

(3) Montreal airport
The Segway was delivered to my wife at the gate.

Comments:
It would be useful to inform the airline that special assistance is required on the apron particularly for bus transfers. The Segway made it to Montreal and back to Geneva without any damage. No special packing or protective material was used. Her Segway has a handlebar guard and bag which probably helped minimize any potential damage.