Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
My mom is planning on visiting us (Dallas) from Chennai by mid oct / early nov. This is her first time air travel and she is pretty nervous rdg travelling alone/managing immigration / transit etc. If any one is planning on traveling from Chennai to Dallas during that time frame and willing to help, pl let me know. It will be of immense help .. Thanks
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
Ok no luck so far ..
Can any one suggest alternative plan? TIA
Can any one suggest alternative plan? TIA
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
from_cyr;47261Ok no luck so far ..
Can any one suggest alternative plan? TIA[/quote]
I presume someone from your family or a friend will be dropping your mom off at the airport. That person and / or your mom can speak with a co-passenger who is also traveling to Dallas by the same flights, and request the co-passenger to help your mom along the way. Also, you can prepare your mom by giving her a typed memo of things to expect - e.g. how to complete the I-94 arrival/departure card, how to deal with customs/immigration, respond to questions, what she can ask the flight attendants, ... one thing I have mentioned in the past is specific advice not to refer to a black official even casually using the N word - many Indians do not realize it is offensive.
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
I'm sure it is going to be quite difficult to co-ordinate your mother's travel plans along with someone else's at the same time, I do understand your concerns as well.
Both, my mother and and my mother-in-law have traveled to the US unaccompanied three times each by a different airline each time. Neither of them speak English fluently and certainly cannot converse with westerners. However, what has helped them immensely are the step-by-step instructions that I have mailed to them prior to departure. These detailed instructions included steps to follow at the point of departure, during transit in Europe and upon arrival in the US. So far, they have not had any problems at all and have been able to follow directions and come here.
A couple of additional points that I haven't done so far but have made a mental note for myself the next time they travel is to mail them an international calling card that can be used from anywhere in Europe along with instructions on how to use them. This is incase, for some reason, their transit flight gets delayed or for any other reason they need to reach you in the US. Secondly, have them carry USD in change to get a cart for their luggage upon arrival in the US. All along, I have asked my parents to seek the help of skycaps at the airports, but they now feel comfortable enough to get their own luggage. Having sufficient change ($5) would help them do so.
Let me know if you would like a copy of the instructions document that I normally mail to my cousins in India who go over the instructions with my parents before they leave. You can then customize the document relevant to your mother's departure/transit and arrival information.
Both, my mother and and my mother-in-law have traveled to the US unaccompanied three times each by a different airline each time. Neither of them speak English fluently and certainly cannot converse with westerners. However, what has helped them immensely are the step-by-step instructions that I have mailed to them prior to departure. These detailed instructions included steps to follow at the point of departure, during transit in Europe and upon arrival in the US. So far, they have not had any problems at all and have been able to follow directions and come here.
A couple of additional points that I haven't done so far but have made a mental note for myself the next time they travel is to mail them an international calling card that can be used from anywhere in Europe along with instructions on how to use them. This is incase, for some reason, their transit flight gets delayed or for any other reason they need to reach you in the US. Secondly, have them carry USD in change to get a cart for their luggage upon arrival in the US. All along, I have asked my parents to seek the help of skycaps at the airports, but they now feel comfortable enough to get their own luggage. Having sufficient change ($5) would help them do so.
Let me know if you would like a copy of the instructions document that I normally mail to my cousins in India who go over the instructions with my parents before they leave. You can then customize the document relevant to your mother's departure/transit and arrival information.
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
one suggestion is get wheel chair assistant.
talk to airline personnel, about it.
here is the scenario, the wheel chair will be at the plane door and
take her out to custom and baggage claim area and thru the exit.
you will be at the door to greet her, as simple as that. :emwink:
talk to airline personnel, about it.
here is the scenario, the wheel chair will be at the plane door and
take her out to custom and baggage claim area and thru the exit.
you will be at the door to greet her, as simple as that. :emwink:
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
ycl1688;47379one suggestion is get wheel chair assistant.
:emwink:[/quote]
sorry to say this, but I have a problem with that. Besides the fact that wheelchair assistance is for the truly disabled/unable to walk or with other serious ailments, it takes away the right of our parents to learn to be self-sufficient and capable of doing things by themselves. By taking this extreme step, relates to making our parents feel incapable of taking care of basic needs, which in my mind, is a serious psychological blow that makes them feel worthless and as a burden. At least, that is how I would feel if 25 to 30 years from now, my children arrange for wheelchair assistance for me when I am perfectly able to walk by myself. I would understand the concern, but would be really upset at the lack of confidence on their part!
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
#4 shdir2i:
Good post. Also I like your offer of sharing your document.
Good post. Also I like your offer of sharing your document.
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
Thanks for the responses.
Bobus,
I was planning to do the same but when I mentioned this to her I felt she was less comfortable. Started looking for alternatives. Probably I should elaborate her the whole process & that might help her.
shdir2i,
Thanks for the tips and pl do send me the document, that will be a good starting place for me. In the past, I have sent brief documents to many of my friends who visited US for the first time. But they all can nverse/read/write in english fluently.
I have sent you a pm with my email id.
ycl1688,
I got this wheel chair assistance tip from a travel agent here & I have the same thought process as shdir2i. I will try my best to avoid this route.
Bobus,
I was planning to do the same but when I mentioned this to her I felt she was less comfortable. Started looking for alternatives. Probably I should elaborate her the whole process & that might help her.
shdir2i,
Thanks for the tips and pl do send me the document, that will be a good starting place for me. In the past, I have sent brief documents to many of my friends who visited US for the first time. But they all can nverse/read/write in english fluently.
I have sent you a pm with my email id.
ycl1688,
I got this wheel chair assistance tip from a travel agent here & I have the same thought process as shdir2i. I will try my best to avoid this route.
Tips for older parents travelling alone internationally
FYI folks:
My mom arrived safely. Thanks to shdir2i, the document he sent was of immense help. Additional to that document, I sent her the sample immigration form and I94. She read the entire document and was mentally prepared prior to her journey. She found a companion in the flight and that made her journey a pleasant one.
:emsmile:
My mom arrived safely. Thanks to shdir2i, the document he sent was of immense help. Additional to that document, I sent her the sample immigration form and I94. She read the entire document and was mentally prepared prior to her journey. She found a companion in the flight and that made her journey a pleasant one.
:emsmile: