Advice please for going to Spain, taking a wheelchair on a flight and getting around.

swingaloo

Hubby and I are thinking of having a week away to get a bit of sun. Probably Spain. hubby is disabled and needs a wheelchair. 

How easy is it to rent a mobility scooter and get around? Is it better to take a wheelchair with you?

Last time we went abroad it was to Vegas and it was so easy there. We got assisted travel, a taxi from airport to hotel and then hired a mobility scooter at the hotel for the duration of our stay.

The plan was to try to rent a mobility scooter in Spain but from what I have read it seems that a lot of hotels do not allow them inside. 
So plan B was to take his wheelchair but in all probability we would go with Ryanair or Easyjet and when I look at the website there is information about taking electric scooters on a flight saying you need to give the make, dimensions, battery size etc but his wheelchair is just a manual push one and I cant seem to find info on taking that.

Any advice or suggestions for the easiest and best place to go please.

mebu60

We regularly go to Alcossebre on the Costa del Azahar renting an apartment. A couple of years back the owners were (rudely!) coming over for a long stay starting halfway through our planned break so we relocated our second week to the Sea Experience aparthotel. We noted that the pool had various pieces of kit for disabled access and I've just had a quick look at their website which references adapted bathrooms in some one bed rooms. The general area is fairly flat and there is a paved promenade along the seafront in the town. The aparthotel is a short distance from the main town. Plenty of restaurants around. The resort is very Spanish. The aparthotel would probably also be able to arrange suitable taxi from/to the airport. 'Unofficial' taxis are €30 each way so a regulated one likely more, takes approx 30 minutes. 

No idea on mobility scooter rental, can't recall ever seeing anyone on one there tbh. We fly Ryanair Stansted to Castellón (just booked this morning for June) and have certainly seen folks in wheelchairs being lifted into the rear of the plane. The wheelchairs looked like airport issue so I assume their own wheelchairs are taken earlier in the process and placed in the hold. According to Ryanair website: "The dimensions of the wheelchair when collapsed must not exceed 81cms (height), 119cms (width) and 119cms (depth). Size restrictions for Wheelchairs/Mobility Scooters are due to the aircraft maximum door opening dimensions."

MikeJXE

Benidorm is the perfect place as it is flat and there are many mobility scooters for hire by the day/week 

You can walk for miles along the prom 

The only downside is a 1 hour transfer from the airport 

DullGreyGuy

Mobility scooters are much rarer in continental Europe than the UK and a notable proportion of users there are British and US ex-pats. That said there are plenty of companies willing to loan one to holiday makers/temporary residents so it's not hard to get one; companies tend to be concentrated in typical "brits abroad" locations but most will deliver if your idea of a perfect Spanish holiday isnt an English fry-up every morning. 

Make sure you understand the laws on using them though, it's not always identical to the UK and can vary depending on if you have a medically certified need for using one -v- someone who's choosing to use one and the capabilities of the device. 

strawb_shortcake

You could try the Mar-y-Sol in Los Cristianos in Tenerife.
The hotel is very disabled friendly, has accessible rooms and pools. Immediately next door is a mobility shop where you can hire scooters, aids and they will arrange trips - but accessible taxis don't come cheap. 

Whilst the hotel is on a hill, it was very easy for scooters to get around, down to the beach and up to other restaurants. I can't remember the prices but for a full weeks hire was not much more than 1day.

Doshwaster

You can't move for mobility scooters in Tenerife as the stretch from Los Cristianos to Las Americas is mostly flat. I think the going rate is around €70 per week for a solo one but you can also get twin seat models. Best to check reviews though as there are sure to be some dodgy operators around.

DullGreyGuy

Doshwaster said:

You can't move for mobility scooters in Tenerife as the stretch from Los Cristianos to Las Americas is mostly flat. I think the going rate is around €70 per week for a solo one but you can also get twin seat models. Best to check reviews though as there are sure to be some dodgy operators around.

Are twin seat ones classified as mobility aids? Certainly in mainland Spain they're not and so cannot legally be used on the pavement. Given the growing anti-tourist mentality the cops may not be turning such a blind eye to law breakers just because they're tourists. 

NoodleDoodleMan

The Canaries are near a 5 hour flight time - mainland Spain may be a better choice, approximately 2 hours less.