Yesterday, there was coverage in the news about the "Pack it Right for your Flight" campaign.
Again, the news was dominated by the 113 hoverboards and electric scooters that were checked in because they contained lithium batteries. I have no doubt over the next few days, we will face concerned queries from customers who want to bring their lithium battery powered motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters overseas.
There's not enough being said about mobility aids for handicapped and elderly users, leading to a lot of unnecessary fear and confusion. I wrote a blog some time ago to cover this topic (https://www.falconmobility.com.sg/blogs/blog/travelling-with-lithium-battery-powered-mobility-scooters-or-motorised-wheelchairs), but it would still be best for an authority such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to step up public education on this topic.
Both the authorities and the media need to be more inclusive in their thinking. Instead of being pre-occupied with personal mobility devices (PMDs) all the time, forgetting about mobility aids totally or only including them as an after thought, they should put mobility aids in their planning considerations from the beginning.
PMDs are lifestyle choices, they are a want, not a need. But mobility aids are necessities, not wants. Nobody wants to sit in a wheelchair if they had a choice.