Mid April and departure time to Crete was at hand. Because it was too early for the charter flights, I was flying with Easyjet, from Newcastle. Firstly to Geneva and then onwards to Heraklion, Crete. All done in a single day.
My son and his wife were coming with me, supposedly to make sure I made it OK, but really just for a free holiday!
This was why I'd bought the Luggie. I could no longer manage all the walking at airports and I needed a way of getting about when I got to Crete, so that I could explore, once again, the back streets of Rethymnon and just wander from one cafe to another and watch life go by. Besides, my wife had insisted!
I'd informed Easyjet that I was taking a mobility scooter and would also need some assistance at the airport but I had no idea what this entailed as I'd never done it before, so it was with some trepidation that I arrived at Newcastle.
My son went off to the Easyjet enquiry desk to find out the procedure and then we checked in. My case went on board as normal luggage and the Luggie was given a baggage sticker and we were told to check it in at the outsize luggage desk. This we did without any bother, although I made the mistake of checking it in folded, instead of leaving it flat. More on this later.
We then grabbed a wheelchair and my son wheeled me into the lift and up to the departure lounge. When our flight was called, we went along to a separate gate from the rest of the passengers and waited there along with other wheelchair users. It took me a while before it dawned on me that this was a different gate and then I realised that flights to different destinations were all using this room.
The room was on the first floor and before long an airport truck arrived outside, at ground level. It reversed so that it was directly below the gate doors and then the box section on the back of the truck elevated itself until it was level with these doors. The gate doors opened and a guy came out and identified a couple of elderly ladies who were going to Spain and started to wheel them into the box section. Once they were secure, he got in with them, the thing lowered itself back down and off the truck went!
Magic! It was the first time I'd seen this device in action and I thought it was great.
It wasn't long before it came back again and we were called, all our party, myself, son and daughter in law. We got in along with another couple, sat down and were driven across the tarmac to the plane where the box section was elevated to the door at the front of the plane directly opposite the normal entry door. We were first in and took our seats before anyone else. We felt like VIPs!
When we arrived at Geneva we were a bit early and had to wait for a while until the assistance arrived but that was no bother, we just sat and chatted to the crew and then, when the lift truck arrived, off we went again. An attendant wheeled me out of the truck and into the airport where we picked up my case and the Luggie from the baggage carousel. By this time, instead of being folded up, the Luggie was lying flat, but that was OK. It was probably easier to sling about that way for the baggage handlers.
I was then wheeled into a sort of 'holding' room along with miscellaneous other people with wheelchairs, crutches etc. A lady in the corner sat at a computer and answered the phones. My attendant took my son and his wife along to baggage check in where they checked in my Luggie and my case. He then disappeared, refusing my son's offer of a tip!
Our flight wasn't for an hour or so and, when it was boarding time, another attendant came for me and wheeled me along, through security and into yet another 'holding' room, complete with TV.
We were than transferred to another elevating truck and trundled out to our second Easyjet flight and onwards to Crete where we didn't even go through passport control but ended up at the baggage reclaim.
When I got the Luggie back and unfolded it ready for use, I noticed that the plastic 'bullnose' at the top of the front column was badly cracked. It didn't affect the working of the Luggie but it's a point to note. If you fold the Luggie in half for ease of carrying, this plastic bullnose is exposed and liable to damage, particularly by baggage handlers at airports! Best leave the Luggie in the flat position and the folded down seat offers protection.
I was in Crete for three and a half weeks and I used the Luggie practically every day, either in town or out in the village where I was staying, transporting it, courtesy of my son initially, in the boot of the hire car. It was great, allowing me to get places I hadn't been able to walk to for years.
It coped well with the Greek pavement ramps as well. When you consider that a lot of the pavements had curbs of 12-14 inches, you can imagine how steep the ramps were! But, again, nae bother. The traffic in town was pretty hectic but I always found that either the bus drivers or the taxi drivers were most courteous, stopping traffic to allow me to cross.
Back in the village where I stayed I put the Luggie to it's real test, going up hills and down road which were, in retrospect, stupid to attempt. Some of the roads I used, particularly the one from the villa in which I stayed, were just rough concrete which had been allowed to set without smoothing off. Consequently the surface was all uneven and ridged and if I hadn't been able to stabilise myself with my feet, I would have tipped over.
I struggled to get up to the main road, but when I did, I headed for the next village and to the kafeneon there for a frappe (iced coffee). I then decided to continue on and found myself heading up a long continuous hill for a mile or more. I really didn't think I would make it but the Luggie managed exceptionally well, taking me all the way to the crossroads at the top of the road and then back safely to my starting point. I never really had the chance to test the range or the distance I could go before the battery packed in because I didn't really want to run out miles from home in the Greek countryside without anyone to call on for help, although I'm sure I could have flagged down a passing Greek for a lift back, but I was more than pleased with the hill climbing ability of the Luggie. A real workhorse.
So, although the Luggie may not be right for everyone, for me it fulfilled all I asked of it.
Easy to fold and carry in a car, takes seconds to fold down.
Ditto for an aeroplane.
Marvellous hill climbing and carrying ability (14 stone in the buff!)
Easy on the eye, looks cool.
Lightweight Lithium Ion battery packs a powerful punch.
Copes well with Greek roads and pavements ( not the best in the world).
What more can I say? If you have any queries at all about the Luggie, please post on this blog and I will do my best to answer.
My son and his wife were coming with me, supposedly to make sure I made it OK, but really just for a free holiday!
This was why I'd bought the Luggie. I could no longer manage all the walking at airports and I needed a way of getting about when I got to Crete, so that I could explore, once again, the back streets of Rethymnon and just wander from one cafe to another and watch life go by. Besides, my wife had insisted!
I'd informed Easyjet that I was taking a mobility scooter and would also need some assistance at the airport but I had no idea what this entailed as I'd never done it before, so it was with some trepidation that I arrived at Newcastle.
My son went off to the Easyjet enquiry desk to find out the procedure and then we checked in. My case went on board as normal luggage and the Luggie was given a baggage sticker and we were told to check it in at the outsize luggage desk. This we did without any bother, although I made the mistake of checking it in folded, instead of leaving it flat. More on this later.
We then grabbed a wheelchair and my son wheeled me into the lift and up to the departure lounge. When our flight was called, we went along to a separate gate from the rest of the passengers and waited there along with other wheelchair users. It took me a while before it dawned on me that this was a different gate and then I realised that flights to different destinations were all using this room.
The room was on the first floor and before long an airport truck arrived outside, at ground level. It reversed so that it was directly below the gate doors and then the box section on the back of the truck elevated itself until it was level with these doors. The gate doors opened and a guy came out and identified a couple of elderly ladies who were going to Spain and started to wheel them into the box section. Once they were secure, he got in with them, the thing lowered itself back down and off the truck went!
Magic! It was the first time I'd seen this device in action and I thought it was great.
It wasn't long before it came back again and we were called, all our party, myself, son and daughter in law. We got in along with another couple, sat down and were driven across the tarmac to the plane where the box section was elevated to the door at the front of the plane directly opposite the normal entry door. We were first in and took our seats before anyone else. We felt like VIPs!
When we arrived at Geneva we were a bit early and had to wait for a while until the assistance arrived but that was no bother, we just sat and chatted to the crew and then, when the lift truck arrived, off we went again. An attendant wheeled me out of the truck and into the airport where we picked up my case and the Luggie from the baggage carousel. By this time, instead of being folded up, the Luggie was lying flat, but that was OK. It was probably easier to sling about that way for the baggage handlers.
I was then wheeled into a sort of 'holding' room along with miscellaneous other people with wheelchairs, crutches etc. A lady in the corner sat at a computer and answered the phones. My attendant took my son and his wife along to baggage check in where they checked in my Luggie and my case. He then disappeared, refusing my son's offer of a tip!
Our flight wasn't for an hour or so and, when it was boarding time, another attendant came for me and wheeled me along, through security and into yet another 'holding' room, complete with TV.
We were than transferred to another elevating truck and trundled out to our second Easyjet flight and onwards to Crete where we didn't even go through passport control but ended up at the baggage reclaim.
When I got the Luggie back and unfolded it ready for use, I noticed that the plastic 'bullnose' at the top of the front column was badly cracked. It didn't affect the working of the Luggie but it's a point to note. If you fold the Luggie in half for ease of carrying, this plastic bullnose is exposed and liable to damage, particularly by baggage handlers at airports! Best leave the Luggie in the flat position and the folded down seat offers protection.
I was in Crete for three and a half weeks and I used the Luggie practically every day, either in town or out in the village where I was staying, transporting it, courtesy of my son initially, in the boot of the hire car. It was great, allowing me to get places I hadn't been able to walk to for years.
It coped well with the Greek pavement ramps as well. When you consider that a lot of the pavements had curbs of 12-14 inches, you can imagine how steep the ramps were! But, again, nae bother. The traffic in town was pretty hectic but I always found that either the bus drivers or the taxi drivers were most courteous, stopping traffic to allow me to cross.
Back in the village where I stayed I put the Luggie to it's real test, going up hills and down road which were, in retrospect, stupid to attempt. Some of the roads I used, particularly the one from the villa in which I stayed, were just rough concrete which had been allowed to set without smoothing off. Consequently the surface was all uneven and ridged and if I hadn't been able to stabilise myself with my feet, I would have tipped over.
I struggled to get up to the main road, but when I did, I headed for the next village and to the kafeneon there for a frappe (iced coffee). I then decided to continue on and found myself heading up a long continuous hill for a mile or more. I really didn't think I would make it but the Luggie managed exceptionally well, taking me all the way to the crossroads at the top of the road and then back safely to my starting point. I never really had the chance to test the range or the distance I could go before the battery packed in because I didn't really want to run out miles from home in the Greek countryside without anyone to call on for help, although I'm sure I could have flagged down a passing Greek for a lift back, but I was more than pleased with the hill climbing ability of the Luggie. A real workhorse.
So, although the Luggie may not be right for everyone, for me it fulfilled all I asked of it.
Easy to fold and carry in a car, takes seconds to fold down.
Ditto for an aeroplane.
Marvellous hill climbing and carrying ability (14 stone in the buff!)
Easy on the eye, looks cool.
Lightweight Lithium Ion battery packs a powerful punch.
Copes well with Greek roads and pavements ( not the best in the world).
What more can I say? If you have any queries at all about the Luggie, please post on this blog and I will do my best to answer.
Hello. Are you still coping well with the Luggie? My husband and I have just found the main Luggie Website and it does appear to be just what we are looking for. It was really interesting and helpful to read your blog, too. As you say, it is a fairly expensive item and not something to jump into without investigating, and hearing the experience of an actual user.
ReplyDeleteDo you find the battery is still carrying its charge well? My husband has a fold-up scooter at the moment (Amigo TravelMate) but the batteries do not last long and constantly need recharging. Thanks for any help with the questions, and wishing you good luck on your further travels,
J & T