It’s a chook, it’s a aircraft… it’s a bus! Almost half of the vacationers on my current “flight” from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey have been shocked to find that American Airways flight quantity AA6354 could be operated not by a small regional jet, however a contemporary Prevost motor coach. I knew, after all, as the aim of my journey was to check out this comparatively new service that could be a partnership between American Airways and The Landline Firm — it could be, I hoped, my first likelihood to expertise flight seated in my very own energy wheelchair.

American Airways Bus Fares to Atlantic Metropolis

The itinerary I bought — Boston to Philadelphia by airplane, and Philadelphia to Atlantic Metropolis by luxurious bus — is priced anyplace from $89 to $618 one-way over the course of the subsequent month, nonetheless most fares fall inside the vary of $104 to $277, relying on how far prematurely you e book. Word that this bus service is focused at connecting airline passengers — buying a ticket solely on the bus from Philadelphia to Atlantic Metropolis or vice versa, is priced at $402 every method. In the event you’re solely touring between these two cities, using on the NJ Transit rail service could be a better option and far cheaper.

I bought two one-way tickets, Boston to Atlantic Metropolis and reverse, utilizing frequent flyer miles. The fee was 7,500 miles every method in financial system class. A first-class fare is on the market, nonetheless you need to observe that the bus is a single-class service. Forking over a whole bunch extra {dollars} (or 10,000 further miles) to improve the 90-minute flight from Boston to Philly in all probability isn’t price it.

Locations Served by the American Airways Connecting Bus Service

This distinctive bus-as-flight providing operates between Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL) and three close by airports: Atlantic Metropolis Worldwide Airport (ACY), Lancaster Airport (LNS), and Lehigh Valley Worldwide Airport (ABE). The method works barely otherwise relying on the place you’re departing from.

• Atlantic Metropolis Worldwide Airport (ACY) — Departing passengers will clear safety at ACY and be transported to an airside gate at PHL. Arriving passengers shall be dropped off on the airport terminal curb at ACY.
• Lancaster Airport (LNS) — Departing passengers will NOT clear safety at LNS, and shall be transported to the landside curb at PHL, the place they might want to clear safety earlier than departing on a connecting flight. Arriving passengers shall be dropped off on the airport terminal curb at LNS.
• Lehigh Valley Worldwide Airport (ABE) — Departing passengers will clear safety at ABE and be transported to an airside gate at PHL. Arriving passengers shall be dropped off on the airport terminal curb at ABE.
• Philadelphia Worldwide Airport (PHL) — All American Airways bus departures from PHL are from the airside gate F8, which means passengers whose journey originates at PHL shall be required to clear safety there.

Wheelchair Accessibility of the American Airways + Landline Luxurious Bus

Entry to the Landline bus is supplied by a Ricon-branded wheelchair carry situated between the midpoint and rear of the motor coach. The carry is just like these utilized by Greyhound Strains and different over the street bus operators, nonetheless this bus isn’t any Greyhound bus — it’s way more luxurious than that.

Seats are organized in a 2-1 configuration, with two seats on the left facet of the aisle and one seat on the precise. The wheelchair house occupies what’s successfully seat 8F on the facet with the only seat. Two seats are pushed ahead reveal the securement house, which options 4 straps to safe the wheelchair from back and front.

After I initially offered myself on the gate in Philadelphia, American Airways gate brokers knowledgeable me that the carry’s weight restrict was 400 kilos and that, if I wished to take a seat in my wheelchair, it must go up individually from me. That didn’t appear proper, because the ADA necessities for wheelchair lifts on over the street buses states that “the design load of the carry shall be not less than 600 kilos.” The bus operator set issues straight and I boarded with out incident — I additionally researched the Ricon carry, mannequin quantity F9TF-DE004, which the producer states “supplies a most platform lifting capability of 660 kilos (300 kilograms).” Drawback solved!

The bus consists of a variety of facilities, together with two energy shops subsequent to the wheelchair house, an adjustable shade by the window, a name button and a studying mild change. Although there are not any air vents instantly above the wheelchair house, vents in entrance of and behind the house will be adjusted.

Ambulatory and semi-ambulatory passengers can benefit from the comfy leather-based seats and entry to a rest room on the rear of the motor coach. Even for passengers not bringing a wheelchair of their very own however who’ve problem navigating steps, the wheelchair carry can be utilized to entry the passenger cabin. American Airways workers at Atlantic Metropolis Airport informed me that though solely two full-time wheelchair customers had traveled on this route beforehand, many others had used the carry to board the bus.

Ultimate Ideas

My journey on the American Airways + Landline Firm luxurious bus from Philadelphia to Atlantic Metropolis and again was satisfying, comfy and wheelchair accessible. It was an expertise that’s tough, if not inconceivable for airways to duplicate within the air — not less than not till a wheelchair securement house for airplanes is put in on precise plane.

Multi-modal transportation options like this one have gotten extra widespread, notably within the European Union, the place authorities, transportation authorities, and airways have sought to exchange brief flights with rail connections. Rail service is after all preferable to bus transportation, nonetheless that appears unlikely in america, the place intercity rail traces not often serve airport stations.

Would I experience this service once more? Sure, however to not Atlantic Metropolis! Wheelchair accessible transportation in Atlantic Metropolis is severely restricted, making it tough to succeed in the town middle from the ACY Airport. Whereas the American Airways bus to Atlantic Metropolis gained’t be in my future, I’d be open to utilizing it to different airports corresponding to Lancaster and Lehigh Valley (Allentown, PA). Wherever you journey on the American Airways bus, you need to anticipate a excessive degree of accessibility and a reasonably satisfying experience (site visitors allowing!).